Link: Mage of Fairy Tail
by Tenrousha
Summary: After his defeat, Ganondorf attempts to drag Link into the dimension of his banishment with him. Link retaliates, but the result sends him hurling through dimensions to land in Earthland.
1. Prologue

Decided to revamp the prologue.

Hope everyone enjoys it.

* * *

Prologue

Lightning flashed in the sky as Link, the young Hero of Time, thrust the Master Sword in the monstrous Gannon's face, his body covered in several wounds from his fight with the Dark Lord Ganondorf; the twisted sorcerer that had thrown Hyrule into darkness for the past seven years. Ganon gave one last roar of protest that slowly died out as its hog-like face slowly slumped to the stone floor with a dull thud.

The Hero of Time looked down with a set and determined expression at the grotesque demon that Ganondorf had become as a final, desperate act to win for several, silent seconds before he slowly pulled the Master Sword out of its face as blood dripped down from his body. As it was being pulled out, the blood evaporated as it hit the air; leaving the blade clean of the demonic ichor.

"Link..." Zelda, Princess of Hyrule and leader of the Sages, panted out softly as as sweat dripped from her forehead. "You... you did it..." She said with a smile as she started to walk toward him and Link blinked before he looked back at her as a small smile came to his face.

"Way to go, Link!" A small of blue light, Navi, shouted as she flew around Ganon to land on his shoulder and he gave a tired sigh as he sheathed the Master Sword then put the Mirror Shield on his back.

Zelda was almost to him when he suddenly swooned and dropped to one knee and alarm flashed in her eyes as she quickly knelt beside him. "Link!" She yelled before she paused as Link struggled to open his pouch, the Golden Gauntlets gleaming weakly as he moved. "Here," She said as she started to reach for it when the tower suddenly shook. "W-what the?" Zelda asked in disbelief as she looked around before she noticed Ganon, one of its eyes gleaming with a malevolent light.

"It's Ganon!" Navi called out when she saw the same thing and immediately flew around the two of them rapidly. "We have to hurry, he's trying to bring the entire castle on top of us!" She said and Link's eyes narrowed before he forced himself to his feet, bringing Zelda up with him.

Zelda looked into his eyes uncertainly for a few seconds before the fire in them hardened her own determination. "Follow me!" She ordered then quickly ran towards the stairs, moving far quicker than one would believe possible in a dress, with Link not far behind. Due to the injuries he had sustained, though, he found himself begin to trail behind slightly as Zelda passed through the doors into a hallway then turned out of sight. "Kyaaa!" She suddenly screamed in panic and Link's eyes widened in alarm before he grit his teeth to pick up the pace while Navi flew ahead.

Link entered a large room littered with bones, armor, and blades and froze in shock as Zelda stood in the middle; imprisoned in a crystalline barrier. _Ganondorf! How can he still have this much power remaining? _He wondered before his eyes narrowed as he heard a familiar, dry rustling.

"Link, the bones!" Navi called out in warning as the bones suddenly flew together to form a pair of Stalfos; Ganondorf's skeletal warriors that could outfight most mortal soldiers. "They're tied to the barrier, you have to destroy them to free Zelda!" She announced and Link nodded his head as he readied the Master Sword and Mirror Shield with a shaky breath while the room shuddered around them.

"Link, just get out of here!" Zelda called out but Link ignored her as he twirled his blade then put the shield out defensively, his eyes intense as he and Stalfos carefully circled each other.

The stalemate came to an abrupt end as one of the Stalfos suddenly charged forward with a powerful thrust that would have easily passed through the armor of a Hylian Soldier, but Link blocked and easily held back the blow while he brought Master Sword out behind him; a blue aura emanating from the blade. "Watch out!" Navi called out in warning as the second Stalfos leaped high into the air to come down with a downward slash and Link's ears flicked once before the blue aura went red.

"Hyaaa!" Link roared as he went into a spin and the red aura swept out in a destructive circle that instantly vaporized the skeletal warriors, and immediately Zelda's prison disappeared with a flash of light. The green-clad warrior suddenly stumbled mid-spin and dropped to one knee as the room started to collapse around them, his breathing heavier as his vision started to go dark at the edges.

"Link!" Zelda said as she ran over to help him up with a concerned expression as she took in his current state. _To use such powerful magic in the state he's in... _She thought when a sudden flash of insight came to her. "There will be more traps like that waiting for us further down." She said and Link's eyes closed as he slumped in her grasp.

"We're not gonna make it like this!" Navi said as she rapidly flew around in circles before the two of them paused as Link suddenly stood up straight.

"We're going back the way we came." Link said as he freed himself then put the sword and shield back in place on his back.

"But Liiiiiink!" Zelda started to say when he suddenly picked her up, making her call out in surprise as he ran back out.

"Link, what's the plan?" Navi asked as she flew alongside him and he adjusted his grip to open his pouch one-handed, his grip now steady as a soft glow issued from his left hand, to pull out the Longshot. _What is it about the Triforce of Courage that gives him this kind of strength? _She wondered as she noticed his breathing growing heavier while blood continued to flow from his wounds before she nodded her head. "I got it, just look for me!" She called out before taking off in a blue blur as they came out of the hallway back outside.

Link went halfway up the stairs and was going to stop in order to look around when the wall behind him suddenly collapsed towards him, giving him no choice to but to jump. "Liiiiiiiiiink!" Zelda screamed as the two fell through the air towards the pit of lava that lay below the castle, the hair ruffling their clothes and hair, before she closed her eyes and pulled herself against Link tightly. He ignored the scream and the hug as he focused his entire being on one thing, a small blue light far below them that came to a sudden stop. He brought the Longshot up and closed his left eye as he aimed a little below Navi then pulled the trigger mechanism, releasing a hook attached to an unimaginable length of chain; putting all his faith in his fairy partner and the craftsmanship of Dampe, the creator of the small device in his hands.

The Longshot had been well-named indeed as the hook slammed into a small, rotted tree that Navi hovered in front of and the two Hylians were quickly pulled in at a speed that stole their breath away.

Zelda's grip tightened slightly as she readied herself for a bone-breaking impact when their momentum suddenly slowed before they came to a stop. "W-what..." She said as she slowly opened her eyes before her breath caught as they dropped again, only to land safely on the ground after a couple of feet. "H...how?" She asked as she looked at Link with wide eyes, but all he did was offer a small grin then glance down at the ground. She followed his gaze before smiling when she saw a golden, winged trim that had appeared on his boots.

Behind him the castle continued to crumble and lake of lava hissed angrily as huge chunks of the black stone fell into it, and he carefully put her down then walked over to the tree and leaned against it while Navi hovered worriedly beside him. "Finish... it..." Link gasped out as he shakily opened his pouch and Zelda nodded her head then moved forward to stand at the edge of the sheer drop.

"Sages of Hyrule, the time has come!" Zelda yelled to the cloudy sky as she brought both hands up and a beam of pink light shot up from her to pierce the clouds. In answer to her call, six more pillars of light - red, green, blue, tan, purple, and yellow - appeared around the pit as the floating island that the castle rested on began to fall into the lava.

"This is for my Brothers!" Darunia, the massive and muscular Goron turned Sage of Fire, roared as he appeared within the red light and thrust his stone-like arms into the air.

"For the Kokiri!" Saria, the child-like Kokiri turned Sage of the Forest, said with quiet determination as she appeared within the green light raised her delicate arms up.

"The Zoras!" Ruto, the fish-like Zora Princess turned Sage of Water, declared imperiously as she appeared within the blue light pushed her firm arms to the sky, her fins fluttering with the motion.

"For the good of the Gerudos!" Nabooru, former thief and second-in-command of the Gerudos turned Sage of the Spirit, yelled fiercely as she appeared within the tan light her tanned arms reached for the heavens.

"For her Majesty." Impa, last of the Sheikah and skilled bodyguard of Zelda, now Sage of Shadows, said as she appeared within the purple light as she thrust her pale arms up high.

"For the goddesses." Rauru, the wise and ageless Sage of Light, said firmly as he appeared within the yellow light and brought both arms up in a sweeping gesture.

"Ganondorf, you are too dangerous to remain free." Zelda declared as she looked down at the melting patch of ground. "For your crimes against the goddesses and countless innocents, you are hereby sealed to the Dark Realm, now and for all eternity!" She intoned and all the Sages suddenly brought their hands together as if in prayer and the pillars of light disappeared before shooting towards the tower that still held Ganon while Link slowly sank to his knees as he succeeded in storing the Longshot and started to pull out a healing potion when he had to close his eyes as a bright flash of light filled the area.

When he could see again, he found Zelda, Darunia, Saria, Ruto, Nabooru, and Impa standing before him and looking at him in concern. Link offered them a triumphant grin in reply to their looks as he pulled out the red healing potion and closed the pouch.

"Link, hurry up and-" Navi was suddenly cut off as the ground behind Link shattered like glass and a large arm covered in black armor shot up to grab the back of his tunic. "If I am to be sealed, then you shall come with me!" Ganondorf roared as he pulled in the stunned youth, knocking the healing potion from his grasp as they both fell into the black void.

"No!" All the Sages yelled at the same time as they ran to the hole and looked down in shock as Link and Ganondorf were swept towards the Dark Realm.

"Link!"

"Brother!"

All the of them shouted in horror and Link's eyes narrowed as he slowly closed his left hand into a fist then slammed it into his right palm, the two meeting in front of his torso. "Hup!" He called out as the two impacted and Ganondorf blinked as he looked at him in disbelief. "HYAAA!" Link roared as he tucked his arms to his sides and flames erupted from his entire body in an orb of fiery destruction.

The resulting explosion of power sent Link and Ganondorf spinning away from the vortex that lead to the Dark Realm and the Dark Lord quickly disappeared into the dark unknown.

"LINK!" Navi screamed in terror as she flew into the void while the Sages could only watch helplessly, their own magic depleted, and Link cast one final, terror-filled look as he extended his left hand out before he disappeared from sight. The blue fairy watched for several, long seconds before she gave out a sob and raced back to the already closing hole to Hyrule.


	2. Link: Mage of Fairy Tail

Chapter One

The sun was shining as Link walked up to the Fairy Tail Guild Hall, an imposing building consisting of three floors and incorporating several architectonic styles: it took on a shape reminiscent of a pagoda, with each floor being smaller than the one below it and sitting on the latter's roof. The roofs also bore great resemblance to those of real pagoda, consisting of extremely long, arched tiles lined up one after the other and possessing simple curved protrusions jutting upwards on the building's corners. On the highest roof, topping the summit of the building, sat a simple, round and pointed dome, which bore a flag with the Fairy Tail crest just under a large bell.

The young man wore an over-sized green tunic that went down to mid-thigh with a brown belt cinched around his waist. Under the tunic he wore white pants that tucked into brown boots that stopped just below his knees. Brown, fingerless leather gloves were worn snugly on his hands and a long, green cap rested firmly over his wavy and mussed blonde hair with his pointed ears drooped slightly. His crystalline blue eyes shone with a burning determination that dimmed only slightly with signs of exhaustion and his single golden earring gleamed almost as brightly as the small golden hoop shook on his right ear with each step.

Link paused at the massive doors to give a silent yawn before he walked into the bustle that was his Guild. Almost everyone in the packed Guild Hall had a call of greeting for him as they lifted their glasses and Link raised his own hand in acknowledgement as he made his way to the bar.

"Was your mission successful Link?" Mirajane, the beautiful bartender of Fairy Tail, asked as Link sat down on a bar stool and got a nod from him as he gave a tired sigh. Mirajane was also Fairy Tail's poster girl, and the reason was obvious. With her long, flowing white hair that reached down to her lower back and a small ponytail rising just above her forehead with a curvaceous figure under her red, flowing dress, one pink bow located on the neckline and one over her left hip, she never failed to catch the eye of both men and women. "Your usual drink?" She asked with a bright smile and he nodded as he offered a slight grin. "Coming right up!" She said before turning around to grab a glass and walk to a dispenser.

Just as Mirajane put the glass down in front of him, the doors were slammed open with a mighty kick. "We're home!" Natsu, the pink-haired Fire Dragon Slayer, roared as he walked in with Happy the blue cat that walked on two legs alongside him and a curvaceous blonde woman Link had never seen before. Natsu was dressed in his usual sleeveless, gold trimmed, black waistcoat left open to show a highly toned torso, white knee-length trousers, a thick black wristband on his left wrist, black open-toed sandals and his white, scale-patterned scarf wrapped around his neck with a traveling pack strapped to his back and his red Fairy Tail mark was stamped just below his right shoulder.

"Aye!" Happy added as he pumped his right paw into the air.

The woman's blonde hair went down to just below her shoulders and done with a side ponytail and her brown eyes held both determination and exasperated resignation reflected in them. She wore a white blouse with blue trim and a blue cross across the front along with a blue miniskirt and brown belt that held a key ring with six keys hanging from it. Link's eyes widened slightly as he immediately recognized the items as the special Celestial Spirit Keys. _Three Silver... but she also has three Golden Keys? _He wondered curiously before he blinked tiredly then turned back to his drink. _  
_

Natsu's black eyes, which had first fixed on the black-haired Gray, widened in delight when he saw the back of Link's green tunic. "Link!" He yelled as he pointed at the blue-eyed mage and Link turned around with his milk held in his right hand. "Fight me!" The Dragon Slayer demanded but Link just sighed and shook his head as he held up his hand to emphasize the glass he was drinking from. Onyx eyes gleamed as a feral smirk came to Natsu's face and an instant later the glass was destroyed by a fireball and all traces of exhaustion immediately disappeared from Link's face.

"Oh dear…" Mirajane sighed as she put a delicate looking hand to her face as everyone got out of the way between Link and Natsu while Lucy looked at the pink-haired mage in surprise.

Link slowly stood up from his stool before looking at Natsu, who grinned as he cracked his knuckles before he charged forward. "Gimme your best shot!" Natsu roared as he cocked his right fist back as he bored down on the green clad mage. Link thrust his left hand and a small fireball shot out at Natsu and exploded into a ten foot circle of destruction.

The blonde girl watched on in shock as everyone quickly moved further back. "Damnit Natsu, why did you have to attack his milk?!" One mage yelled out in dismay as Natsu came out from the circle of fire, eating it greedily.

"Fire won't work on me, Link!" Natsu declared before looking down as something tapped against his shoe. His eyes went wide when he saw the bomb right before it went off, sending him blasting back out through the open doors.

Blue eyes continued to glare out after Natsu before the sound of someone clearing their throat snapped his gaze away to look at a stern Mirajane. "Link, you created a large mess this time." Mirajane said as she wagged her finger and Link looked at her before pointing out where Natsu had "left". "I know Natsu started it but you know how he is." She said and Link sighed before walking back to the counter as everyone started talking and laughing again after the fires were quickly put out.

"Lucy, come on." Happy said as he started walking further inside and the blonde girl looked at him in shock.

"But what about Natsu?" Lucy asked and Happy looked back at her.

"Natsu will be okay, a blast like that won't kill him." Happy said before continuing his march towards the bar.

"That should take care of the damages, Link." Mirajane said as she put another glass of milk in front of him. "Here's another glass." She said with a smile and Link nodded as he grabbed the glass. "Oh, Erza is still out on her job subjugating that demon so it looks like you've arrived first." She added and Link gave a smile and nod of appreciation before he started to drink his milk.

"Mirajane, we failed the job." Happy said as he jumped up on to a bar stool next to Link.

"That's too bad Happy." Mirajane said as Lucy walked up before she stopped when she saw Link and gulped in sudden nervousness.

"W-wait..." She stammered out as she finally got who this person was. "You're Link... _the _Link?" Lucy asked and Link looked at her with mild confusion before he nodded his head. _He's one of the strongest mages in Fiore... and one of the Top Mages You Want As a Boyfriend! _She thought and was a bit nervous as she took in his handsome, elfin features.

After she didn't say anything for a while, Link blinked and covered a small yawn before he turned his attention to his drink and started to drink it down. "Lucy, you shouldn't interrupt people when they're drinking." Happy said as he shook a paw at her. Lucy looked at Happy before she sighed and nodded her head, taking a seat next to the cat.

Once Link finished his milk he put the glass down and gave a sigh of satisfaction before he wiped his mouth with his gloved left hand. He then stood up and held his right hand out to Lucy, who looked at him in surprise as a blush came to her before she nervously shook his hand. "It.. it's nice to meet you, my name is Lucy. I'm a new mage here and-" Lucy stopped talking when Link suddenly turned around and walked away. "Rude!" Lucy said as her cheeks puffed in anger before she looked at Mirajane as she leaned on the bar in front of her.

"Don't let it get to you." Mirajane said before her eyes glanced over at Link. "Link doesn't talk much and usually isn't very social, especially when he's tired." She explained and Lucy blinked in surprise before she remembered the vague sign of exhaustion on his face. "However, he always helps whenever he's asked and he's probably the kindest and most loyal person you'll ever meet." Mirajane said and Happy nodded his head.

"Aye. He usually gives me fish and some milk." He said and Lucy sweat dropped. _All that tells me is that he's nice to cats… _She thought before she looked at Mirajane again.

"Already going on another job Link?" Nab asked and Link shrugged uncertainly before he paused. His eyes stayed focused for a few seconds before he nodded his head then grabbed a Job and walked back over to the bar.

"Liinnnk!" Natsu roared as he soared through the open doors, flames shooting from his feet, and Link sighed before he held his right hand up. Almost immediately a blue crystal appeared around Natsu and started slowly rising into the air before it stopped at the ceiling. "Heey! Lemme out!" Natsu yelled as everyone burst into laughter.

"Looks like Natsu got put in time-out again!" Wakabe roared with laughter as he beat a hand against his knee and everyone laughed harder.

"Karyu no…" Natsu said as he took a deep breath. "HOKO!" He roared as he shot a large blast of flame from his mouth, the flames quickly hiding him from view as they circled around in the crystal. Everyone laughed even harder, some of them falling to the floor, as the entire room was blanketed in a flickering blue light, no flames escaping from the crystal.

"That's a manly way of lighting a room." Elfman said with a nod and several people next to him sweat dropped as they looked at him in confusion.

Link pointed at the crystal with his thumb as he walked back up to the bar and Mirajane nodded with a smile before taking the paper from Link. "'Notes for dimensional magic stolen, need help.'" She said with a nod before she reached under the bar and pulled out a notebook.

"LIIIIINNKK!" Natsu roared in frustration as he continued his attempts to break free from the crystal.

"That crystal sure can take a pounding…" Lucy said after several seconds with a sweat-drop on the back of her head.

"Aye." Happy said as he looked up at her. "That's Link's 'Nayru's Embrace', which is used to encase someone in an unbreakable field." He said and Link tapped Happy on the top of the head, making him look up at him. "It's okay, Link, Lucy's a member of Fairy Tail." Happy said as he pointed at the pink Fairy Tail mark on Lucy's right hand while Mirajane finished writing.

"And done." Mirajane said as she held the job up with a smile. Link nodded and pushed his stool back to stand up and turned to walk to the door.

"Damnit, Link! Let me out and fight me!" Natsu demanded as Link walked underneath him. Link looked up and gave Natsu a small wave of farewell without slowing in the least. "DAAAAMNIIIIT!" Natsu roared to the laughter of everyone as Link walked out, more flames shooting from his mouth.

Several minutes after Link had left, Mirajane suddenly paused as she walked around with a tray of glasses balanced on her left hand. "Oh dear." She said as she brought a hand to her face with hand with concern reflected in her blue eyes. "Link really should've gotten some rest first." She said as Nayru's Embrace finally disappeared, letting Natsu fall to the ground to land on his feet. "Oh well, without Master or Erza here there's no one that could've convinced him to." Mirajane said with a smile before she continued on.

Gray stood up as Natsu dropped to the ground and locked his dark blue eyes on the Dragon Slayer. The Ice-Make Mage had on his usual necklace, the pendant shaped like a sword with a stone in it. "So, you finally got out huh?" He asked with a smirk and cracked his neck. "Let's finish our fight from before!" He yelled as he slammed his right fist into his left palm.

"… Put some clothes on first." Natsu said and Gray looked down to see he only had a pair of blue boxers on, showing his highly toned body and his blue Fairy Tail mark on his right pectoral.

"Shit!"

* * *

Link gave a small groan as he sat down on the brown, padded train seat. _Perhaps I should have just waited until Erza got back. _He thought with a yawn as he looked out the window into the darkening sky and his ears flicked when the whistle blew. _Eight years today… _He thought as the train started to move while his eyes slowly closed in exhaustion.

_A young Gray growled angrily as he stomped up to a young girl with shoulder length scarlet hair and a brown eye. She wore a steel breastplate with a red bow at the collar over a white, long-sleeved shirt and a white skirt over black stockings. She was undeniably cute, but it was somewhat marred by the large bandage she had over her right eye. _"_Erza! I cha-!" Gray was cut off as a young Link appeared out of nowhere and crashed into an empty table three feet away from Gray and Erza._

_Link coughed up blood as he hit the table and went into a wild roll that left behind a trail of blood._"_WHAT THE-?!" Everyone in the Guild yelled as Link quickly jumped to his feet and looked around with narrowed eyes. Everyone's shock increased when they saw him get up despite the numerous injuries and the blood that dripped from him._

Where is he? _Link thought urgently before he dropped to one knee with a gasp, his injuries and exhaustion finally overtaking him. _What happened to me?! _Link's eyes went wide in shock when he saw his arm, the arm of a child. _

"_Kid, you need to lie down!" Makarov ordered as he ran up to Link and the young man's eyes snapped over to him as he grit his teeth._

_In an act of will that made Makarov pause, Link forced himself to his feet and kept his balance after a momentary stagger. _Surrounded… Ganondorf sent me here… must be enemies… MUST FIGHT! _Link thought as he spread his legs, now acting only on instinct and still on edge after what had just happened to him. "Hup!" He said as he swung his left palm over his body into his right fist as it rested at his hip. A second later a hand slammed into the back of his neck and his vision immediately went black as he crumpled to the ground._

_Link gave a small groan as he slowly regained consciousness, his eyes blinking weakly. _A bed? _He wondered and a second later his eyes shot open as he sat up quickly before wincing as his whole body throbbed in protest at the sudden movement._

"_Are you okay?" He heard a young feminine voice ask and he looked over to see a young girl with red hair wearing a breastplate with a long-sleeved shirt underneath it and a skirt. Erza was currently sitting down on a chair with a short sword strapped to its back as she held a leather-bound book in her right hand. Link gave a slow nod as he looked at her before looking around the room. "You're in the medical room of Fairy Tail." She said and Link blinked as he looked back at her before bringing his arms up slowly to look at them. _"_Your injuries were very severe but have already been tended to." She said, mistaking the reason that Link was looking at his body in wide-eyed surprise. "My name is Erza Scarlet." She said a few seconds later and Link blinked as he brought his attention back to her. "What's your name?" She asked and for a while Link didn't answer._

_After a few minutes of silence Erza gave a small shrug as she stood up. "Very well-"_

_"Link." He said in a quiet voice and she looked at him in mild surprise._

"_Link… that's a funny name." She said with a small grin and Link's eyes widened as he looked at her before his stomach growled loudly. Link looked down as he blushed in embarrassment, a blush that heightened as his stomach growled even louder. __Erza looked at him in mild surprise before bringing a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Come, your belongings are in the drawer over there." She said and Link gave a small nod as he continued to look down._

"_Ah. Erza." Makarov said in mild surprise as he walked up to the door to see her walking out. "Is our young guest okay?" Makarov asked as Erza closed the door and she nodded. "Very hungry though." She added with a small smile and Makarov's eyes widened slightly for a second before he gave a wide grin. "Very well then, wait here while I go tell the chefs to get ready." He said and Erza nodded before she stood to the side of the door._

_A few minutes later Link walked out of the room and immediately looked to the side where Erza was standing. "Follow me." She said and Link gave a nod. "That's an odd birth mark." Erza remarked as they walked down the hallway and Link looked down at the Triforce symbol on his left hand before stopping. "What is it?" Erza asked and Link looked at her before running back to the room and going in._

"_Link!" Erza said in surprise when Link took off and a couple of minutes later he came back out with a bandage roll wrapped around his hand. Link rubbed the back of his head before bringing a finger to his lips and Erza looked at him curiously for several seconds before her eyes widened in realization. "You want to keep it a secret?" She asked and Link nodded his head. __Erza looked at him for several seconds before she nodded her head in agreement. "Very well." She said and Link smiled before bowing slightly forward, which got another small smile from her. "Come on, food's waiting." Erza said and Link's stomach growled again._

_Twenty minutes later Link was eating at a furious pace, a row of empty plates and bowls already on the table in front of him. "How much more is that kid going to eat?" Gray asked, getting a laugh from Macau. _

_"You aren't in any position to call someone a kid, Gray." He said and Gray glared up at him._

_A large, content sigh turned their attention back to Link as he put down an empty bowl and then stood up. "Finally done?" Makarov asked with a smile and Link nodded before he pulled a pouch with a golden rupee stamped on it off his belt and opened it. "Now now, I can't accept jewels from a kid that appeared in my Guild as injured as you were." He said before narrowing his eyes slightly. "Tell me, what were you fighting?" Makarov asked as Link retied the pouch to his belt._

_Link looked up at him with steady eyes before shaking his head once. "Hmm…" Makarov said as he put a hand to his chin thoughtfully while his other hand went up to stop those in the Guild Hall about to explode. "Is that no as in you won't tell me?" He asked and once again Link shook his head. "So no as in you can't tell me?" Makarov asked and for a third time Link shook his head. "Hmmm… there's just no point in discussing it?" Makarov guessed again and this time Link nodded his head. "Looks like it up put a strong fight though." Makarov said with a wide smile and Link couldn't help but grin slightly as he gave a nod._

This man… he's almost like the Great Deku Tree… gentle but I can feel the power radiating from him… _Link thought and a hint of sadness reflected in his eyes as he looked at Makarov. "Tell me, what is your name?" Makarov asked and Link continued to look at him steadily for a couple silent minutes._

"_Hey, answer Master when-"_

_"His name is Link." Erza cut in and everyone looked but Link looked at her in surprise. "I don't think he likes to talk, it took him a few minutes before he answered me earlier." She said and Makarov turned to look at Link again._

"_Hmm… silent or shy… or perhaps only willing to talk to cute girls?" He asked with a grin and both Link and Erza blushed slightly, getting laughter from everyone. "Very well, follow me." Makarov said a minute later as he hopped off the bench and Link nodded before he followed him curiously._

"_I wonder why he bothers carrying a shield as big as he is." Wakabe said as he took a puff from his cigarette. _

_"Probably just to show off." Gray said as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked to the side._

"_I don't think that's the case." Erza said and Gray looked over at her before he grinned evilly. _

_"Going to the defense of your new boyfrie-urk!" Gray cut himself off and started sweating nervously as Erza grabbed his collar and held her short sword at his throat, her eyes glowing. _

_"What was that?" She asked coldly and he swallowed nervously._

"_Now then, Link, can you show me where your home is on this map?" Makarov asked as he rolled out a large map of Earthland. _

_Link's eyes went wide as he put his hands on the map and looked around frantically. _No… no way… _Link thought as his hands tightened into fists before he slammed them against the table and smashed it into kindling. __Makarov looked at Link in surprise at his reaction before his eyes widened further to see tears in Link's eyes. "Where… am I?" Link asked quietly as his body quivered. _

_Makarov continued to look at him for a few seconds in concern before he sighed. "This is Fairy Tail, a Guild Mage in Magnolia Town." He finally answered and Link slowly slumped down to his knees. _"_What's the matter?" Makarov asked and Link slowly looked up at him before wiping his eyes and standing up. _

_"Nothing. Thank you for your kindness." Link said with a bow before he turned around and walked away. _

_"Where are you going to go?" Makarov asked and Link froze._

That's right… where will I go? _Link wondered before he clenched his fists. _There has to be some way back! _He thought resolutely before he started to walk forward again. _I still have to return the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time and return the Ocarina of Time to Princess Zelda. _He thought then he glanced back at the hilt of the Kokiri Sword. _And return the Kokiri Sword back to where it belongs. _He added before he looked forward again._

"_From the look on your face before, you didn't see your home on the map at all." Makarov said and once again Link stopped. He didn't move for several, quivering seconds before he finally glanced back at him. "Where is your home?" He asked and Link gave a small sigh as he looked down._

"_Hyrule." Link answered and Makarov put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. _

_"I don't believe I've heard that name before…" He said and Link nodded. _

_"My enemy… while he was being sealed by the Sages of Hyrule to another dimension he attempted to bring me with him. I fought back and was sent spiraling in another direction." Link said and Makarov's eyes went wide._

"_Being sealed by Sages…into another dimension?" Makarov said in disbelief. _I've never heard of that kind of magic! _He thought in amazement. "How powerful was this enemy?" Makarov asked but Link shook his head. "Of course… it doesn't matter." He said with a sigh. "Do you know magic?" Makarov asked, causing Link to look back at him curiously before he nodded his head once. "Why don't you join Fairy Tail?" Makarov asked and Link's eyes widened in surprise. _"_You have nowhere to go, and with the jobs available at a Guild you may find a way that will return you home." Makarov said with a wide smile and Link looked down as he considered it before he turned around to face Makarov and bowed deeply._

_Back out in the main lobby, the idea was not taken well by one mage in particular. _"_What's the proof he can even do magic!" Gray demanded after Makarov told them of Link's decision and Erza shot him a look. "What?" Gray asked before he looked over as Link opened one of the doors and walked out._

"_Way to go Gray, you've driven him out." Cana said before sighing as Erza glared at him before she ran towards the door. "And put some clothes on." She said and Gray looked down in shock to see he was clad only in his boxers. _

_"Damnit, when did this happen?!" He yelled before stopping as the sound of music came in from outside. _

_The music was light and lilting, starting at a moderate speed with three notes being repeated at first before going on further. _

Du du du, du du du, doo dudu do dududu

___"Beautiful…" Erza said with a small smile as she stopped to admire the music. _  


_"Hey, wasn't the sun shining a second ago?" Reedus asked as he noticed the light from outside was beginning to dim and Erza quickly ran outside, followed by Gray, Cana, and Makarov._

_Outside Link was playing the Ocarina of Time, his eyes closed as he lost himself to the music, as clouds gathered overhead. Suddenly Link started to play the song faster and thunder rumbled through the sky as the clouds darkened and rain started to fall. "N-no way…" Gray said as Link started playing even faster and the rain pelted down harder as lightning flashed._

"_I'd say this would be proof Gray." Makarov remarked with a wide grin before Link slumped to his knees as his face tightened in pain and exhaustion. _

_Despite his sudden slump, he continued to play the song rapidly and the storm slowly started turning worse. "Link!" Erza yelled as she ran up to him and his eyes shot open in surprise as he took the Ocarina from his mouth with a gasping breath._

What… what just happened? _Link thought as he shook his head before looking up as lighting flashed in the sky and slowly stood back up. _Normally playing the Song of Storms doesn't drain me at all… _He thought in surprise as he blinked against the pounding rain._

_"Link, you shouldn't strain yourself since you're still recovering." Erza said and Link looked at her before he held up one finger up and brought the Ocarina back to his lips. _

The Sun Song should fix this. _Link determined as he took a breath. __Before Erza could say anything Link played three notes, the first one a medium pitch, followed by a low pitch then a high pitch, twice in a row before ending with a flourish. Almost immediately a beam of sunlight burst through the clouds to surround him with its dazzling light and Erza's eyes, as well as everyone's in the Guild looking outside, went wide in surprise as the sunlight quickly expanded. Within a couple of minutes, Links song had completely dissipated the song as quickly as his previous song had summoned it._

_Link slowly brought the Ocarina from his mouth and looked up at the sun with a grin for a few seconds before he suddenly fell backwards. "Link!" Erza said in surprise as she caught him while Makarov ran up quickly. _

_"Looks like his magic isn't acting the way he's used to…" He said thoughtfully and Erza looked up at him questioningly. "Come on, let's get him inside and dry you both off." Makarov said and Erza gave a small nod as she looped one arm over her shoulders and slowly stood up; Makarov picking up the ocarina before following her in._

Link's eyes snapped open as the train whistle blew and he yawned as he stretched his arms up. _Hopefully I can finish this job before Erza gets back. _He thought as looked out the window again and rubbed his eyes. _Otherwise she might get angry at me for not resting… _Link thought with a small shudder.

Close to twelve hours later the train pulled into the Freesia Train Station. _This could be it… _He thought as he walked off the train and looked around. _I could finally find a way to return to Hyrule. _Link thought before shaking his head and taking a deep breath. _One thing at a time, stay focused on the job right now. _Link told himself before he took a sheet of paper from his tunic to look at the address of the person who had posted the job.

* * *

Karyu no Hoko – Fire Dragon's Roar


	3. Prepare Yourselves

Chapter Two

Link walked through Freesia at a relaxed pace before he stopped when he saw a group of people working through the remains of a destroyed church. "Damnit, I still can't believe that Salamander even destroyed our beloved church!" One of the people yelled and others grumbled in agreement as they helped move the rubble. Link just put his palm to his forehead as he sighed and shook his head before continuing on. _Natsu... _

After walking for half an hour, Link stopped in front of a large mansion protected by a fifteen foot tall metal fence with an artfully crafted and elegant gate barring the main entrance. The mansion was beautifully designed and the lawn contained several sculptures of a variety of wildlife, one of which was even a human-sized dragon. In his tired state, Link barely acknowledged it all as he pulled out the Job request from his pouch to confirm the address. _Let's see... this is it._ Link nodded his head once before he walked forward to knock on the gate.

Almost instantly a light green circle appeared in front of him with the face of a bald man with intense, focused brown eyes. _Communication Lacrima. _Link noted absently as he looked at the man.

"Can I help you?" He asked and Link held up the sheet so the man could see it. "Are you from a Guild?" The man asked and Link took a step back as he put the sheet away. He then shifted his body to pull up his right sleeve to reveal a green Fairy Tail mark on his right bicep. "Very well, please come in." The man said and the circle disappeared as the gate slowly opened.

A couple of minutes later Link was following a large, muscular man, the same one that had been using the Communication Lacrima. "I'm glad that someone responded this quickly, my Master has been very distraught." The man said as he led Link upstairs while the blonde looked around with mild curiosity. "This is his study. Please wait here while I announce you." He said and Link nodded his head once before stifling a small yawn after the man went inside the room.

"Please come in." Another voice said a couple of minutes later and Link immediately walked in before stopping in surprise at the vast amount of books located in the room. "That attire and the Fairy Tail mark… I daresay you are Link Kokiri yes?" A middle-aged balding man asked as he sat behind an oak desk located in front of one of the many bookcases and Link blinked before nodding his head once. "An honor to meet you, my name is Bola Fowl." He said with a smile and Link offered a small bow. "I'm glad you're here, when Butler recommended I put out a job request about my notes I was afraid the idea for dimensional travel would be thought of as a joke." Bolan said and Link shook his head twice, getting a smile of appreciation from Bolan. "I'm glad to see you don't think so." He said before looking at Link curiously. "Tell me, does the subject interest you?" Bolan asked and Link nodded his head quickly, getting a short laugh from him. "Once you manage to get my notes I'd be more than happy to go over them with you." Bolan said and Link smiled as he gave another nod before his face went serious again.

"Of course, on to business." Bolan said with a small sigh before he brought his hands together on the desk. "A couple of weeks ago my home was broken into and my notes were stolen. The thief left behind a demand for ten million jewels, and though I paid it my notes were not returned but instead a demand for another twenty million was sent." Bolan said and Link's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the amount. "At that time Butler recommended I put up a job and while I waited for a response from a Guild, I asked for help from several acquaintances. This morning I received information on where the thief might be." He said before he stood up and grabbed a folder from his desk. "Here is the best lead I have on where the thief is, please go and retrieve my notes." Bolan said after he walked over and handed the folder to Link, getting a determined nod from him before he walked out.

Link yawned as he walked through the streets of Freesia. As he walked, he occasionally glanced at the sheet of paper inside the folder to follow the directions. It didn't take him very long to locate the place and in a couple of hours he found himself standing in front of an abandoned warehouse in an empty lot.

With a small shrug, he put away the folder and walked up to the building to find the door. After a quick inspection showed it to be locked, Link gave a tired sigh and he brought one foot up to kick the door, and the impact sent it flying off its hinges and into the warehouse. Link calmly walked in and looked around to see a large group of people looking over in surprise before their faces tightened in anger.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Several of them yelled as they stood up angrily but Link just regarded them steadily, hardly intimidated by this group.

"Bolan's notes." He replied simply and everyone tensed in preparation for a fight.

A bass chuckle had everyone look over to see a large, heavily muscled man with dark orange hair slowly stand up; the chair's creaking sounded almost like relief. "So that fool actually put out a job?" He asked as he regarded Link with amused green eyes. "His notes are right here." The man said with a cocky smile, indicating a notebook on the table as he walked towards Link. "They're actually rather worthless in my opinion, dim-" The man stopped talking as a blue crystal appeared around the table and slowly rose into the air to hover twenty feet in the air.

Everyone's eyes went wide before looking back to see Link now holding two broad scimitars in his hands. "Hmph, nice toothpicks." The man said as he held his left hand out and a large claymore with a golden blade that glowed with a magical light appeared in his hand. "But it can't match up to my Buster Claymore." He said and his men grinned as they moved out of the way.

"Try not to make too big of an explosion when you kill him, Boss." One man said and he just scoffed.

"This won't take too much effort." He said before jumping up and towards Link much faster than one would've thought possible considering his size.

Link's eyes followed him calmly before jumping to the left and retaliated with a quick mid-air slash at the man's free arm even as the Buster Claymore sunk into the floor. The man winced before jumping away right before a small explosion went off from the slash and Link brought his scimitars in front of him as a partial shield. Despite the movement, though, a large splinter still managed to get through and cut him on the cheek.

"Boys, it looks like we're going to be leaving once I'm done with this brat." The man said and they all nodded as they moved to the far end of the warehouse. "This time you won't be so LUCKY!" The man roared out the last word as he charged in at Link, not paying any heed to the red aura that now surrounded both scimitars.

Outside the warehouse the air was calm when the warehouse suddenly erupted in a giant explosion. Large and small pieces of debris were hurled in all directions to rain down on the empty lot. A couple of minutes later Link walked away from the disaster zone with the notebook under his left arm and the Buster Claymore held securely in his right hand with the blade resting lightly against his shoulder.

After Link walked out of the destroyed remains of the warehouse he looked back and gave a small sigh as he shook his head. _Looks like I overdid it a little. _He thought with a yawn before he wiped at the scratch on his cheek and got some blood on his glove. _Now I'm really gonna get it… _Link thought with a tired sigh before bringing the Buster Claymore out in front of him to examine. After a couple of minutes of close scrutiny Link gave a nod of his head before he set the notebook down and opened one of his pouches. He then started to slide the large blade in, which easily slid in until it was completely stored. Once he was done, Link then picked the notebook up and immediately started on his way back to Bola Fowl's mansion. As he walked, he couldn't resist opening the notebook to skim through it.

Butler's impassive face broke into surprise when Link held up the notebook in front of the green circle. "Y-you already got the notes?" Butler asked incredulously and Link nodded his head once before he brought the notebook back down. "Master Bolan will be pleasantly surprised, please come in." He said as his face resumed its impassive expression and the gate immediately opened.

Three hours went by after Link entered the mansion before the green mage finally walked back out. A small, hopeful smile was on his face as he closed the door and remained in place as he walked out the gate. _He says he still have several more years to go but… _Link thought before he stopped to look up at the sky. _This is the closest I've come to being able to return to Hyrule. _He thought before he looked forward again and gave a large yawn as he closed his eyes.

After a few seconds of silence, a green aura started to materialize around him. The aura quickly gained in strength and a small wind started to swirl around him. The wind quickly picked up speed and he slowly became transparent within the strengthening green aura. Within seconds, he completely disappeared from sight and the green aura scattered into several green orbs that moved in a circular rotation with the wind before they flew into the air.

Back at Fairy Tail a green orb shone brightly on the second floor near the S-Class Job Request Board. After a couple of seconds, the small green orbs suddenly appeared below it. They all swirled quickly for an instant before they rapidly lost speed and came together into a single green aura again. A few seconds later Link walked out of the green aura with small bags now under his eyes. He stretched his arms up then turned around to face the S-Class Job Board. The green aura reappeared around him then went up his left arm to create a new green orb that quickly faded from view. _Now to get some milk and get home before_ _Er- _

"Link." He heard from a voice that made him instantly freeze. Link slowly opened his eyes to see Erza downstairs by the bar as she stood next to a giant, jeweled horn. Equipped in her usual custom-made breastplate, which had the modified sarcelly cross Heart Kreuz logo over a red Fairy Tail mark, a pair of silver, sword-shaped earrings, steel gauntlets with small wings on the end, blue skirt, and black boots that covered most of her body, she was undeniably still a beauty. While the sight of her long, scarlet hair and piercing brown eyes was usually a welcome sight, now her presence made him very nervous. "Good, you've arrived in time to help Gray, Natsu, and myself with something I discovered on my last job." She said before she paused and looked at him more closely. "You've been resting regularly these past several days right?" She asked and Link gulped nervously.

"Actually he took a job right after he got back yesterday and he looked very tired then." Mirajane said with a bright smile and Link's eyes went wide as he shot Mirajane a betrayed look. The white-haired beauty simply shrugged in response as if she had expected the look and was actually amused by it.

"Link, please come here." Erza said and Link's eyes moved around quickly before he sighed and walked downstairs to stand in front of her. "You have bags under your eyes, you look exhausted." Erza said before lightly touching the scratch on his cheek, causing him to flinch slightly. "And this; is it because you were too tired to dodge effectively?" She asked and Link offered up a weak grin while Lucy watched with wide eyes.

"Erza even has Link afraid of her, and he was able to beat Natsu easily..." She said in amazement and Natsu's right eyebrow twitched as he glared at her.

"Link didn't beat me. He just trapped me and ran!" He declared and she sweat dropped.

_After he blasted you out the door with two moves… _She thought to herself as Happy looked up at Lucy.

"You're wrong." Happy said as Erza continued to berate Link as he shook his head quickly, his hands up in a calming gesture. "Link and Erza are at about equal standing in combat." He and Lucy looked down at him with wide eyes.

"B-but she subjuga-"

"However they've been close friends for eight years now and she's always been lecturing him about resting when he needs it." He continued and she looked back at them with wide eyes before giggling slightly.

"Just like a co-" Lucy was cut off as Natsu and Gray put their hands over her mouth and Happy jumped up to latch on to their hands backwards.

Erza, noticing the sudden movements, looked over curiously at the scene. "Is everything alright?" She asked and the three of them nodded their heads quickly.

"If you value your life you won't say something like that while Erza is around." Gray whispered fiercely as Erza turned her attention back to Link.

"Aye." Happy and Natsu said at the same time and Lucy's face went pale.

Link had taken advantage of the break and put one hand up in a calming gesture as he loosened one of his pouches and reached into it before he pulled out the Buster Claymore. Lucy's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as she saw the large sword coming out of the small pouch so easily. _What the hell is that pouch made of?! _She wondered before she remembered that her mouth and nose were covered. Lucy quickly slapped Happy off and then removed Natsu's and Gray's hands so she could breathe.

Link held the golden blade up before handing it over. Erza accepted the sword and examined it closely before she looked back at Link. "Is this supposed to distract me from your exhaustion?" She asked and Link blinked in surprise at her tone before he looked at her with a hurt expression.

"Erza, you know that Link usually tries to bring back a souvenir during the times you two do separate jobs." Mirajane scolded as she came to Link's defense.

Erza's expression slowly softened before she looked back at the claymore. "Sorry." She apologized before she smiled as she inspected the blade. "Thank you for the sword, it's extremely well crafted… and even has magical properties?" Erza asked and Link nodded then picked up an empty chair and pointed at it. "Very well." She said with a grin and Link threw the chair up into the air. Erza jumped up and sliced through it with a blinding horizontal slash that made Lucy's eyes go wide. Right as Erza landed the broken pieces were surrounded in a blue crystal before they detonated, the blast safely contained in the crystal.

"Looks like your boyfri-urk!" A Guild member started to say jokingly before he shut up and broke into a nervous sweat as the Buster Claymore was suddenly against his throat.

Erza glared at him coldly for several seconds at his remark and he seemed to deflate under the intensity of her gaze. "I wonder if its effect works on humans as well." She said darkly as Link came up and carefully pulled her back from him. Erza grudgingly went back one step at a time though her eyes never left the terrified man's eyes.

"See what I mean?" Gray asked and Lucy brought her hands up and bowed slightly towards him.

"Thank you for saving my life." She said gratefully with tears of relief in her eyes.

When Erza looked back at Link, he nodded his head before he pointed at the sword and then the scratch on his face. "I see. Your opponent attempted to use it against you and in the ensuing explosion you were hit by a splinter." She said and Lucy looked at Erza in astonishment after Link nodded.

_T-that's a very detailed description of what happened considering there were only a few gestures… _Lucy thought before Erza Ex-Equipped the sword and nodded her head towards the bar. In reply she got a nod from Link and the two started over.

When they got up to the bar Mirajane already had two glasses of milk waiting for them. "Since Link arrived second that means Erza is paying this time." Mirajane said and Link looked at her in protest. "Well since you did another job right after you got back the first time, it doesn't count." She said brightly and Link gave a tired sigh before he nodded in agreement as Erza looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Why would the first one to arrive be the one to pay and why milk?" Lucy asked in confusion as Link and Erza both grabbed their glasses. "It's like a competition between them on the occasion they do different jobs." Happy explained as they both picked up their glasses and started drinking at the same time. "They're both very proud so having the other pay for their drink is a motivation to get the job done and get back quickly and in one piece." He said as they both finished and gave a satisfied sigh before wiping at the milk on their lips. "And milk because it's delicious." Happy said as he raised one paw into the air.

_Synchronized milk drinking? _Lucy wondered with a sweat drop before giggling into her had._ So cute!_

"We leave tomorrow." She said then looked over at Link as he put a hand on her shoulder and raised one eyebrow curiously. "You'll be no good if you don't rest, so it can wait until then." Erza said and Link looked at her flatly. "Don't tell me you can sleep on the train, sleeping in a bed is better for your health." She said as she turned to face him and Lucy sweat dropped.

_He didn't even say anything… _She thought as Link shook his head before he pointed at Erza then himself, then Natsu and Gray.

"You're right, this is urgent…" She admitted grudgingly but continued to lock eyes with him. Finally, after several moments, she gave a small sigh. "Very well, however you _will _be sleeping the entire time on the train even if I have to knock you out." Erza said as she pointed a finger at him and Link gulped before he nodded his head once.

"W-would she really knock him out?" Lucy asked and everyone around her nodded their heads immediately and at the same time.

"Aye." Happy said confidently and Lucy sweat dropped. _So violent… _She thought nervously as she regarded Erza.

However, Gray gave a sigh of relief. "Hey, Erza, since your usual partner is here doesn't that mean we're not needed anymore?" Gray asked and Erza looked back over at him.

"No, I still need yours and Natsu's help as well." She said and everyone's, with the exception of Lucy's and Link's, eyes bulged in surprise as they started murmuring amongst themselves.

"Link and Erza teaming up is already powerful enough… but Natsu… and even Gary?" Mirajane said as she brought a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "I've never imagined this but…" She said as she looked up and started shaking slightly. "This might be the strongest team in Fairy Tail…" She said and Lucy's eyes went wide in surprise.

"We'll meet at the train station in four hours, prepare yourselves." She said before walking over to the jeweled horn and picking it up effortlessly, Link walking with her.

As they walked outside Link gave a small yawn. "You really should take of yourself better." Erza said and Link gave a small grin as he nodded his head in agreement before he looked at the horn curiously. "This is from the demon I went to subjugate." She said with a grin and Link gave a slow whistle. "After the townspeople decorated it I decided to bring it back." Erza said and Link chuckled in amusement.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence Erza looked over at Link. "Were you able to find anything on that Job?" She asked and Link shook his head.

"I did find something on the second Job, though." Link said in a quiet voice and Erza didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"So you're still determined to get home?" She asked and Link nodded his head as he looked forward, his eyes focused. "I see…" Erza said before looking forward and Link glanced over at her before he put one hand on her shoulder. Erza looked over at him again to see a grin on his face and she gave a small smile. "I know." Erza said and Link nodded his head once before removing his hand from her shoulder as they continued walking down the street, ignoring the people that quickly moved out of the way as they looked at the giant horn with wide eyes.


	4. Lullaby: Mass Murder Magic

Chapter Three

The call of train whistles sounded in the air, a common occurrence at the Magnolia City Train Station. The large indoor station was bustling with activity as crowds of people either went to their trains or departed from them. Despite the bustle and groups of people talking to each other as they walked, the station was peaceful.

Well, mostly peaceful.

"Why the hell do those two monsters even need help?!" Natsu demanded angrily as he glared at Gray, who looked back at him just as much frustration reflected in his eyes.

"How the hell should I know?!" Gray shot back, who was dressed in a long, white coat over a blue shirt, white pants, and black boots. "Besides, _if_ they actually do need help I'd be more than enough by myself." He said and Natsu slammed his forehead against Gray's.

"Then you go! I don't even want to get involved in this!" Natsu roared and Gray slammed his head against Natsu's in retaliation.

"Fine, then don't go!" Gray roared back at the other Fairy Tail mage. "Then you can just get yourself killed by Erza afterwards!" Gray added as they struggled.

"Will you two just knock it off?!" Lucy screamed in frustration and they both stopped to look at her in confusion. "Geez!" She said as she let out a sigh of frustration. "Why can't you two get along?" She asked as she crossed her arms under her chest.

"Why are you here anyways?" Natsu asked as he also crossed his arms over his chest.

"Mira-san asked me to go!" Lucy screamed as she resisted the urge to pull at her hair in frustration and fear.

"_It would be great if those four actually came together as a team, but the fact that Gray and Natsu don't get along with each other worries me. Lucy, could you tag along and play mediator?" Mirajane asked as she washed a glass. _

_"Eeehhh?!" Lucy yelled as she stared at Mirajane in shock. _

_"Puun…" A small, pure white shivering form said as it sat next to Lucy._

"I'm only here because Mira-san asked me to." Lucy restated firmly as she looked at the two of them unhappily.

"I bet you really wanted to come along, didn't you?" Happy asked with a smile.

"No way." Lucy asserted before she blinked and then looked down at Happy in surprise. "Wait, if those two really needed a mediator why not you?" She asked before bringing her hands to her mouth. "Uwah… pity on you. Mira-san forgot about your existence." She said in mock pity but the blue cat seemed unfazed.

"Aye." Happy said as he raised one paw up in confirmation.

"Why do you always carry your sleeping bag, huh?" Gray asked angrily as he and Natsu once again glared at each other.

"To sleep on it, duh!" Natsu shot back without hesitation.

_This is going to be troublesome… _Lucy thought with a sigh before bringing her hands together in a clap and smiling mischievously. "Ah! Erza-san, Link-san, this way!" She yelled and they both froze.

"Let's be nice to each other!" Gray said as they put their arms over each other's shoulders and smiled widely.

"Aye aye, sir!" Natsu said and they both pumped their free fist into the air in a celebratory manner.

"This is funny!" Lucy said as she burst into laughter.

The two mages quickly caught on to the game and turned incredulous looks on her. "You tricked us!" They both yelled in surprise.

"Aye." Happy said.

"Maybe you two really do get along after all." Lucy giggled and Gray turned to the side and kicked the ground as he put his hands in his pockets.

"No way... why do I have to work with those two?" He asked sulkily before his stomach whined. "My stomach hurts…" He went on more quietly.

"Want a fish?" Happy asked as he held up a salmon.

"No!" Gray yelled angrily as Natsu looked at Lucy in confusion.

"Why are you here?" He asked and Lucy's eyes shot open in shock.

"Weren't you listening?!" She demanded angrily.

"Sorry, did we make you wait?" Erza asked and Lucy turned around to see her and Link walking up, Erza pulling a large amount of luggage behind her in a wooden wagon.

"Too much luggage!" Lucy yelled in surprise and Link winced as his ears twitched.

"Hmm?" Erza's eyes became evaluating as she looked at Lucy. "You were in Fairy Tail yesterday…" She said and Lucy straightened in surprise before bowing forward.

"I'm a new member, my name is Lucy." She said then stood straight again. "Mira-san asked me to tag along so I'll try to be useful." She said and Erza smiled at her.

"I'm Erza, nice to meet you." She said then looked at Link as he pointed at Lucy. "I see… you're the one that Link heard about while he waited for me at Fairy Tail." Erza said and Lucy looked at her and Link in confusion. "He said he'd heard you defeated a mercenary gorilla… you're very promising." She said and Lucy's shoulder slumped as she looked down.

"That was… Natsu… and it wasn't a gorilla" Lucy said sadly.

"This mission might be a little risky, but I think you'll be okay." Erza said confidently, getting a nod from Link.

"Risky?!" Lucy screamed and once again Link winced.

"Please refrain from screaming like that unexpectedly, Link's ears are very sensitive." Erza said and Lucy brought a hand to her mouth

"S-sorry." She said and Link nodded his head before turning towards the train.

"Hmph." Natsu said and Link paused as everyone looked at Natsu. "I don't know what our task is, but I'll go on one condition." Natsu said and Erza looked at him with mild surprise.

"Condition?" She asked as Link tilted his head curiously.

"What are you, retarded?" Gray hissed as he looked at Natsu in surprise before he looked at Erza nervously. "I… I would work for free if it was for you Erza." He said as Erza continued to look at Natsu steadily.

"Name it." She said as Natsu looked back at her just as steadily.

"When we return, I want to fight you and Link one on one." He said and Lucy and Gray looked at him in shock as Link brought his palm to his forehead. "I'm different from back then." Natsu continued confidently.

"Y-you IDIOT!" Gray yelled in shock as he stared at Natsu. "The first fight with _either _of them would be enough to kill you!" He went on but Natsu's eyes never wavered.

"You've really grown up." Erza said as she smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm not very confident in myself… but very well." She said and Link raised an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean you're not confident?!" Natsu demanded angrily. "Fight me seriously!" He roared before pointing a finger at Link. "And don't think I've forgotten how you trapped me and ran off, Link!" Natsu yelled and Link gave a helpless shake of his head before looking at Natsu with a steady gaze and nodded once in agreement.

Fire erupted from Natsu's head as he looked up excitedly. "I'm in! Let's do this!" He roared in anticipation.

Link closed the door to the compartment car they had been assigned before sitting down across from Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Lucy. Link gave one big yawn before he held his right hand towards Natsu, who looked at him in confusion before he was encased in Link's Nayru's Embrace. "What's the big idea?!" Natsu demanded as he rose up slightly and the train starting to move. "Let me out! Right now!" He roared and Happy, Lucy, and Gray looked at Natsu in surprise.

"Natsu, you're not getting motion sickness." Lucy said and Natsu blinked as he looked out the window.

"Aye." Happy said as he continued to look at Natsu in surprise.

"Fufufu…" Erza laughed softly in amusement at their reactions. "Surely you three haven't forgotten?" She asked of Natsu, Gray, and Happy but they just looked at her blankly. "Nayru's Embrace negates impacts from all but the strongest of blows, something like the jarring of a train is easily absorbed." She said and Natsu smiled widely as he turned to look at Link again.

"Thank yo-!" Natsu cut himself off when he saw Link's head drooped down, his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes closed. His breathing became the steady rhythm of sleep as he had his green hat now on his lap; thus allowing his blonde hair to sprawl out in random directions.

"So he finally reached his limit." Erza said with a small sigh. Link's body moved around with the bumping of the train as he snored softly and Erza smiled at him slightly.

_So cute! _Lucy thought with a smile before her expression turned thoughtful.

"Now that I think about it…" Lucy said as she brought a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "The only magic I've seen in Fairy Tail is Natsu's and Link-san's, and I've never heard of a magic that looks like his." She said and Link's eyes fluttered then one eye cracked open slightly before Erza punched him in the stomach. Link gasped before being sent back to unconsciousness and fell over sideways.

"That should make sure he stays asleep." She said as she caught him and laid his head on her lap gently.

Everyone looked at Erza in blank shock before Lucy shook her head to clear her thoughts. "What… what kind of magic do you use, Erza-san?" Lucy asked a little nervously.

"You can call me Erza." Erza said as she looked at Lucy.

"Erza's magic is beautiful." Happy said with a broad smile. "Lots of blood comes out at the end, her opponent's blood." He said as he put both paws into the air.

"How is that beautiful?" Lucy asked as she looked down at Happy nervously.

"It's nothing special." Erza said before indicating Gray with one hand. "I think Gray's magic is more beautiful." She said and Gray looked at her curiously as Natsu "hmphed" and looked up.

"Hmph!" Gray said as he held his left hand out, palm up, and put his right fist on top of it and immediately a cold wind began to blow around his hands as he maneuvered the fingers of his right fist before moving it up to reveal an ice sculpture of the Fairy Tail mark.

"Wah!" Lucy said in surprise as she looked at the small sculpture with a smile. "It's beautiful." She said and Gray shrugged.

"It's ice magic." Gray said as he left it floating in the air.

"It doesn't really fit you though." Lucy said but Gray just offered another shrug.

"Who cares?" He asked before he shot a glare at Natsu as he chuckled at Lucy's comment.

Lucy suddenly paused before she looked at Gray then Natsu. "Ice." She said as she pointed at Gray. "Flame!" She said as she pointed at Natsu before her eyes widened in realization. "Ah! No wonder you two don't get along." She said then giggled into her hand.

"Is that so?" Erza asked curiously as she looked at both Natsu and Gray who just crossed their arms and looked in different directions.

"Who cares about that?" They both said at the same time and Lucy giggled again as they both tensed up before they turned to glare at each other.

"What is Link-san's magic?" Lucy asked a few minutes later and Erza smiled slightly.

"Link calls it Hylian Magic." She said and Lucy cocked her head curiously as she looked up and thought carefully.

"I've never heard of a magic like that before." She said and Erza nodded.

"Link's the only person currently known who uses it, and it covers a wide variety of abilities." Erza said and Natsu, Gray and Happy all nodded their heads.

"Like this crystal?" Lucy asked as she pointed at Natsu.

"Aye." Happy said as he raised a paw up. "Another kind involves his ocarina." He added and Lucy looked at him in confusion.

"His what?" She asked and Erza reached into the armor on her left forearm and pulled out the Fairy Ocarina.

"This is an ocarina." Erza explained as she held it up for Lucy to see. "It's an instrument from his homeland that works somewhat like a flute." She said before putting it back.

"Oh, so it's like music magic!" Lucy said as she brought her hands together.

"Aye. Also he can do a variation of Erza's magic." Happy said before Natsu clapped his hands together impatiently.

"Erza! What is it you want us to do?" Natsu asked as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah, the idea that you actually need help is rare, let alone that you don't know if Link's help would be enough." Gray said and Erza nodded her head.

"Yeah… let me explain." She said as Link shifted slightly in his sleep. "I was on my way back when I stopped at a bar in Onibas where mages gather. While I was there some folks caught my attention." Erza said and everyone leaned in slightly, Natsu pressing his forehead against the crystal.

"_Hey__! Where's my damn beer?!" A man roared as he and three others sat at a table. Erza, who was sitting at the bar with a glass of water, looked back in mild annoyance at the ingrate. "Why are you so slow?!" A man with dark hair and whisker marks on his face demanded. The man was tall, that much was obvious even when he was sitting, with his dark hair arranged in the front to go up in a flat tuft resembling a cone. He sore simple attire that consisted of a zipped, brownish jacket with a large collar over a dark shirt, dark pants and simple shoes. _

"_I… I'm sorry…" A blonde waitress said nervously as she walked up with a flagon of beer. _

_"Byard, don't get so angry." A tan man with a pointed nose and sharp chin next to him said as he smoked a cigar. The man wore a distinctive jacket, light in the low part and dark in the upper one and on the sleeves, which came equipped with a tight hood covered in black and light stripes with a light shirt under it and a pair of simple pants and shoes. _

"_How can I not be angry, Rayule?!" Byard demanded as he brought his flagon up impatiently. _

_The waitress, who had been heading towards him with a new mug, froze as the beer flew from the flagon in the waitresses hand to his empty one.__"Hieeeek!" She screamed in surprise as her eyes went wide._

_"We finally found the "Lullaby" but it was all sealed up!" Byard yelled as he slammed his flagon on the table, the impact sending some of his drink out of his the container. "Now we can't even break the damn seal at all!" He continued to rant before he brought his flagon up to take a swig of his beer._

"_Idiot! You're too loud!" Rayule hissed and the third man at their table nodded his head._

_A rather unusual looking man, he was short, hunched and fat with strange features. He didn't seem to have a visible nose, and possessed very large lips, with his face on the whole resembling that of a fish. His green hair pointed upwards in many rounded, curved spikes. __His attire consisted of a crimson jacket with lighter edges and a high collar, held closed right under it but otherwise being left open, over a light shirt. Unfortunately the shirt was short and revealed much of Karacka's stomach as it fell just short of his loose, blackish pants which were held up by a simple belt and tucked inside boots. He also wore a massive necklace around his neck, consisting of several, very large metal discs connected by a rope. __"Yep. Too noisy." He said in a deep voice._

_"Shit!" Beard exclaimed and he ended up spitting out some of his beer as his eyes shot open in surprise._

"_It's not like we can break the seal even if we had more people." A dark haired man, his __black hair was pulled into a tight ponytail with his excess hair styled up to resemble the top of a pineapple, _also sitting at the table said with a smile and they all looked at him curiously. He was dressed in a white, high collar jacket over a black shirt, white pants, and black shoes with an onyx stud in each ear. A wicked gleam shone in his black eyes as he regarded his curious companions but he merely smirked in reply. 

_"What are you talking about, Kageyama?" Rayule asked as the man pushed his chair back. _

_"I'll take care of the rest, so you guys just go on and head back to the Guild." Kageyama said before he stood up. "Please let Eligor-san know I'll definitely come back with Lullaby in two days." He said with his smirk still in place as he walked away._

"_For real?" Rayule asked in shock as the others looked at him in equal surprise. "Did you figure out how to break the seal?" He asked and Byard slammed his beer flagon down in celebration. _

_"Way to go, Kage-chan!" He yelled as the man walked out of the bar._

"Lullaby?" Gray asked curiously as the train started to slow down.

"The Lullaby… is it some sort of magic to put people to sleep?" Lucy asked as Natsu cocked his head curiously, trying to figure out the big deal. _Why does that sound familiar? _The blonde wondered curiously as she crossed her arms under her chest and looked down contemplatively.

"I don't know…" Erza said as she looked at them seriously. "But since it was sealed, it probably contains some powerful magic." She said and Natsu sighed as he shook his head.

"Erza, it just sounds like a job they were doing." Natsu said and Gray nodded his head.

"As much as I hate to agree with the flaming retard-""What?!""-it doesn't sound like anything special." Gray said; ignoring Natsu's fiery outburst, literally as flames shot from his mouth, and Link's ears twitched slightly.

"Yeah… that's what I told myself as well and didn't think any more of it…" Erza said as her expression never wavered. "Until I remembered the name Eligor." Erza said and they looked at her curiously. "The ace of the Mage Guild Eisenwald, Shinigami Eligor."

"Sh-shinigami?!" Lucy squeaked in surprise at the title. Her sudden fear ruined her focus and she forgot all about trying to riddle out the distantly familiar sounding magic.

"It's a nickname he was given because he kept taking assassination requests." Erza said as her eyes narrowed in disgust. "The Council prohibits mages from taking them, but he chose money instead." Erza said as the train came to a stop.

"Link, wake up." Erza said as she looked down at him and gave his shoulder a gentle shake.

Link stirred then yawned before he slowly sat up straight, rubbing his eyes as he did so. He shot Erza a small glare as he rubbed his stomach but she merely offered a small smirk in reply as her right eyebrow cocked curiously. After a few seconds, Link just shook his head before he let Natsu out as he gave another yawn before he put his cap back on, adjusting it only slightly to ensure a snug fit.

"Excuse me." A black haired man in a white, high-collared jacket said as he accidentally bumped into Link when he walked out of his own compartment. Link merely offered a small grin and a shake of his head before he followed the others off the train.

"So then six years ago… the Guild was ousted from the Mage Guild League and categorized as a Dark Guild." Erza said as she pulled her wagon off the train.

"A Dark Guild?!" Lucy yelled in surprise as sweat poured from her and Link winced slightly.

_This is going to be one of those jobs… _He thought with an internal sigh. _Wait… what Guild? _He wondered as he looked at the four of them, for he had been passed out during Erza's story and didn't know the full story.

"Lucy, your skin is producing juice." Happy said as he hovered next to her and Link laughed into his hand as Lucy glared at Happy.

"It's sweat!" She retorted angrily while Natsu laughed loudly.

"I see…" Gray said seriously as he adjusted his pack.

"Wait!" Lucy called out and this time Link glared at her slightly and she quickly covered her mouth with her hands. "Sorry." She said before continuing. "You said ousted… but didn't they get punished?" Lucy asked and Erza stopped to look back at her.

"They were." The blade mage confirmed with a nod. "Eisenwald's Master was arrested and they were ordered to disband." She said as the train whistle blew before moving. "However, most Dark Guilds simply ignore the order and continue functioning." Erza said and Lucy brought her hands to her mouth in shock.

Lucy's face became pale as she considered what she was about to be a part of. "M-Maybe I'll just go back home…" She said as she stumbled towards a bench.

"Again?" Natsu asked as he crossed his arms over his chest with a small sigh.

"It was a blunder on my part…" Erza said with a self-recriminating tone and shake of her head. "If I only had remembered his name back then..." She paused for a moment I would have destroyed all four of them."

"Right… if it had just been the four at the bar you probably could have handled them." Gray said and Link blinked as he looked at Gray in confusion. "But when it's the entire Guild…" He trailed off and Erza nodded her head.

"They got a hold of this magic called Lullaby and are plotting something. I judged we could not overlook this matter." She said and Link gave a small sigh as he quickly got tired of not knowing what was going on.

"So we're looking for this Kageyama, right?" Natsu asked and Erza nodded her head before she looked over at Link as he raised an eyebrow at her curiously.

"Alright!" Natsu exclaimed with a feral smile as he slammed his right fist into his left palm excitedly. "Where do we find him?" He asked but Erza shook her head.

"He has black hair up in a ponytail that looks like a pineapple, but he's probably-" Erza was cut off as Link grabbed her shoulder and turned her quickly, his eyes wide.

"What is it Link?" She asked seriously and Link pointed back into the train station. "You saw him?" Erza asked in disbelief and Link nodded his head. "You idiot, why didn't you say anything?!" She demanded as she glared at him angrily.

Link simply looked at her with a flat expression while everyone sweat-dropped, not sure if they should mention she had knocked him out before her story. His expression spoke volumes, though, and Erza's anger quickly disappeared to be replaced with mild embarrassment for her outburst. Before anything else could be said, Link was running flat out back to the station and everyone was quickly after him.

_**Kunugi Train Station**_

The black haired man chuckled happily to himself as he held a wooden flute with a skull at the end of it, a skull with three eyes. "Eligor-san will certainly be pleased." He said then tucked the flute away before his eyes tightened slightly. _But still, who would've thought I would see Link Kokiri on my way from Onibus..._ Kageyama's eyes closed as he pondered the incredible odds of such a thing happening._ The others also must've been from that damn Fairy Tail…_ He thought before he simply shrugged as he felt the train come to a screeching halt. _Well, that's one stop- _

"KYAAAAA!"

Kageyama's eyes went wide as a loud shriek of terror shattered his contemplation before he heard a voice that brought a wicked smirk to his face. He quickly stood up and walked out of the compartment in time to see an extremely tall, lean-built and yet mildly muscular man with silver hair, pointed upwards in spiky strands on top of his head except for a portion that hung down to the left of his face in a distinctive tuft and reached down to his shoulders. His dark eyes were circled by dark lines and each of them had a simple tattoo right below it that consisted of a pointed line going down vertically, crossed with two more, larger horizontal lines. The upper part of his body was similarly tattooed, but with much larger, intricate and blue-colored motifs, which took on spiraling forms and adorned his shoulders, biceps, pectorals and back. His lower body was covered in different layers of clothing; a long, worn skirt, reminiscent of a hakama, below a darker, shorter cloth, held up by an even lighter and shorter one tied like a belt. He also wore a black scarf wrapped around his thin neck, with its edges hanging on his back and had traditional geta sandals on his feet. His attire was rounded out with a pair of distinctive dark gloves, each adorned by a light "_X_" on the back, and by bandages wrapped around his forearms. "Hello, Eligor-san." Kageyama said with a small, respectful bow and his smirk still in place.

"I heard you were coming back on this train." Eligor said in a deep, bored tone as he walked up to the black haired man. His features, frightening enough, were made more terrifying with the large scythe he carried effortlessly in his left hand; the shaft bouncing slightly off his shoulder with each step. "I've been waiting for you, Kageyama." He said as the sound of people screaming, evil laughter, and items being thrown to the ground came from outside.

Kageyama's smirk widened as he stood up straight while Byard and Rayule walked on to the train. "I managed to break the seal, Eligor-san." Kageyama said as he pulled out the demonic looking flute and held it out. "Feast your eyes on this." Eligor looked at it for a few seconds before he reached out with his right hand and casually took it from his minion's hand.

"I see…" Eligor said as he looked at the flute impassively. "This is it… the forbidden magic, Lullaby." He said and an evil smile stretched his face into diabolic delight as Rayule and Byard gave smiles of pleasant surprise.

"Good job, Kage-chan!" Byard roared and it wasn't long before many others joined them in the train after his congratulations.

"With this, our plan is complete!" Rayule cheered and soon every Eisenwald mage were cheering for Kageyama's success as well.

"This flute was just a tool for "murder by curse" at first…" Eligor said as he tightened his grip on the Lullaby. "But then the Great Dark Mage Zeref further developed this flute into something special, a truly wonderful piece of terror." Eligor said as he brought the Lullaby up in front of his face. Lullaby… the mass murder magic that puts a death curse on all those that hears its melody!" He said before he started to laugh loudly. "Let the show begin!" He yelled as he thrust the Lullaby triumphantly into the air.

"OOOOHHHHH!" His Guildmates all cheered before they moved about to finish the preparations.

_**Fiore Countryside - Somewhere between Onibus Town and Oshibana Town**_

A green four wheel vehicle sped down a dirt road at high speed, following the train tracks as it kicked up dust. In the front seat on the outer part of the vehicle, Erza drove the vehicle with a long joystick as the SE, or Self-Energy, Plug siphoned off her magic in order to power the vehicle. Inside the vehicle Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Happy sat somewhat nervously at the daredevil speeds while Link perched up on the roof with his legs gripped tight on the forward part of the vehicle to rest behind Erza.

"Lucy, are you sure about this?" Gray asked seriously as he sat across from her while Natsu looked like he was simply trying to stay conscious.

"N-not enough room... my foot..." Natsu grumbled before he brought a hand to his mouth as he gagged.

Ignoring the Dragon Slayer, Lucy gulped nervously before she nodded her head. "It… it was just supposed to be a made-up story though… that's why it didn't occur to me at first…" She tried to explain before she hugged herself tightly as a shudder went through her. They had just rented the magic vehicle before she had remembered the magic and had gone immediately pale.

_Mass murder magic!_ Erza thought as sweat whipped from her face from the amount of magic she was pumping into the vehicle to speed it along. _If Eligor got hold of such a thing… _Erza thought before her eyes tightened and the vehicle put on a new surge of speed that made Link wobble momentarily on his precarious perch._  
_

Not that he noticed much, as his own thoughts were echoing Erza's as the vehicle hit a jump that had all the occupants inside the vehicle yelling in fear.

It wasn't very long, a little over a half hour, before the Kunugi Station was in sight, and what a sight it was as they came to a stop.

Knights were stationed at several places around the station with yellow caution lines strung about everywhere. One Knight was busy talking with a train conductor as he tried to get the full story of what happened while a crowd of people stood in front of the increasingly frustrated guards.

"A bunch of men, all of them carrying scythes, suddenly took over the train!" One elderly woman cried out as she held off one Knight's arm and he looked down at her uncertainly.

"I know who they were!" Another middle-aged man said as he walked forward. "They're from that Dark Guild, Eisen-something!" He exclaimed and Erza looked back up at Link to see he was already looking at her.

Link's eyes showed his concern as he saw the sheen of sweat on her face but he closed his eyes thoughtfully. After a few moments he reopened them and shook his head to her questioning look, to which she made a small sound of annoyance before looked forward and took off at high speed once more.

Inside the vehicle, Lucy shook her head in confusion when they took off as Natsu slumped to the ground. "I don't get... why would they take a train?" She asked as she crossed her arms under her chest. "It can only go on the tracks, so it seems a poor choice to steal." She shook her head with a sigh after a few seconds and looked up at Gray, at which her eyes widened in surprise.

"But it's got speed." Gray remarked as he finished removing his jacket and put his hands under his shirt. "If they've got somewhere they're trying to reach in a hurry, it's the perfect vehicle." He said then started to take his shirt off.

"Why are you undressing?" Lucy asked nervously and Gray paused with a blink before he seemed to realize what he was doing.

"Huh." He said before he put his shirt down. "Anyways, the fastest way to get somewhere is via the train lines. Maybe they just need to reach somewhere fast to pull off their plan and can then scatter." Gray reasoned and Lucy swallowed as she considered that. "In that case, it won't matter if the route can be traced, because with enough of a head start only a few would be captured." He said confidently as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"B-but with the army after them, they'll still be captured soon enough... right?" Lucy asked but Gray simply closed his eyes in response.

_Damnit... _Erza thought as they followed the railroad tracks to Oshibana. _Just what the hell is that Eligor planning with such dark magic? _Erza's mind was working overdrive as she sought to figure out Eisenwald's scheme. Link, his concentration not split by powering or directing the vehicle, was working even harder in order to prevent what was certain to be a tragedy.


	5. Maharathi Link

Chapter Four

Most of Eisenwald stood or sat gathered in one of the commercial cars of their hijacked train, while those that didn't fit waited anxiously in nearby cars. In this one, Kageyama sat across from Eligor with his upper body leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and his hands interlocked in between his knees. "Why do you think Link being on the same train you were about to depart on would be important?" Eligor asked Kageyama as he slouched carelessly in his seat.

Kageyama was quiet for a few seconds as he sorted out his thoughts before he shook his head uncertainly. "It just seems odd…" He finally said and Eligor's expression told him to elaborate. "By Link's reputation he either only works alone or with one person but he was with four others…" Kageyama said before he closed his eyes. "And there was one person in armor with red hair … I know I should remember something about it…"

"Red hair?!" Byard suddenly yelled in surprise and everyone looked at him. "That gorgeous woman from the bar!" He shouted as he remembered the armored, red-haired woman and Rayule looked at him with wide eyes as he recalled her as well.

"She must have overheard you, you idiot!" Rayule snapped angrily and Eligor ground his teeth before he suddenly lashed out with his scythe twice to cut both of Byard's ears in a blur of movement.

"Gyaaa!" Byard yelled in pain as he grabbed his ears and dropped to his knees.

Eligor slowly stood and Byard looked up with terror-filled eyes as the rest of Eisenwald quickly backed away from the doomed man. "No one … and nothing … should interfere with our plan…" Eligor said dangerously and Byard's entire body shook with the belief of his impending death.

Kageyama didn't even seem to notice the scene as he closed his eyes to focus. "Red hair… armor…" He murmured before his eyes went wide. "That's it!" He exclaimed as he took his hands apart to clap them together, which immediately got Eligor's attention. "The one who overheard us… she must've been Erza. Erza the Titania!" Kageyama said and everyone paled.

"Erza… and Link… are both coming after us?" Rayule stammered out in fear, a shared reaction from most of Eisenwald at thought of that powerful duo, and Byard trembled in terror as Eligor once again looked at him with death in his eyes.

"It's okay Eligor-san." Kageyama unexpectedly said with a small smile and everyone looked at him in surprise. His confident smile turned evil as Eligor looked at him, his expression once again telling him to elaborate. "No one, and nothing, can possibly stop this plan now." He said and Eligor was silent for several seconds before he twirled the Lullaby in his hand.

"Of course." Eligor eventually agreed with his own evil smirk and Byard held in a sigh of relief. The Shinigami went back to his chair and slouched back onto it. His relaxed movements indicated he was nervous at all about the possible confrontation, in fact he almost seemed excited by the prospect. "Fairy Tail… huh…" Eligor said as he looked at the demonic flute. "There are some forests that flies really shouldn't be entering." He remarked with an evil smile that Kageyama echoed as they pulled into the Oshibana Train Station.

* * *

Link held on tight to the top of the magical vehicle as it took a tight turn through the narrow backstreets of Oshibana. The blonde was now kneeling on the roof with both hands firmly gripped on the front edge and his eyes squinted against the wind and exhaustion. Still, he was faring better than Natsu, at least.

Inside the vehicle, Natsu was in the fetal position on the floor as he fought against his motion sickness, his arms tightly hugging his stomach as Happy, Lucy, and Gray occasionally braced themselves against Erza's sudden turns.

"Lucy, I think there's something I'm forgetting to tell you." Happy suddenly said and Lucy looked down at him.

"What's that?" She asked but Happy shrugged.

"I forgot." He answered and Lucy sighed exasperatedly. "Hmm... Lucy... fish... Lucy... yummy... Lucy... weird..." He spouted out and Lucy's right eyebrow twitched irritably.

While Happy tried to remember what he had forgotten, Link's eyes suddenly flashed with alarm and he hopped down to balance beside Erza. He put one gloved hand on her armored right shoulder to get her attention and she glanced over to regard him with a sweat-streaked face and weary eyes. When he pointed at the overcharged SE Plug cord, Erza just shook her head and looked forward again.

Before he could give her shoulder a shake, his attention was diverted by something ahead of them. "What is this…?" Erza wondered out loud as she and Link looked at a rising smoke plume in surprise. Link quickly slammed one hand against the vehicle's side to get everyone's attention and they all quickly peaked their heads out of the windows except for Natsu, who refused to move from his spot on the floor.

"**Ladies and gentlemen! Please stay back, it's dangerous here."** A man in the Oshibana Train Station uniform, which consisted of a blue tuxedo, matching dress pants, and a blue hat with a black bill, said through a megaphone as they pulled up. **"A train was derailed by accident, so one is allowed into the station!" **He said in a calm, matter-of-face tone meant to keep the crowd from panicking.

"Derailment?" One man asked in an annoyed tone.

"No, I heard it was a terrorist!" A woman cried out as the Fairy Tail mages piled out of the vehicle. Erza took a moment to take a breath after she removed the SE Plug from her arm before she gave Link a small shake of her head at his concerned look.

"**Until we can confirm the area is safe, the station will be closed to the public!"** The man finished through the megaphone while Erza, Link, Lucy, who carried Natsu on her back, and Gray forced their way through the crowd with Happy flying overhead.

"Get it together, idiot." Gray remarked with exasperation as Natsu's face continued to show the effects of motion sickness.

"What's going on inside?" Erza asked once she got up to the attendant and he looked at her in surprise.

"Wh-who are you!" He asked and she grabbed his shoulders to head butt him hard, knocking him out, before she went to the next attendant.

"What's going on inside?" She asked and the attendant looked at her in surprise.

"Huh?" He asked before he was also given a head butt and Erza moved on to the next attendant.

"She only likes people who answer immediately, doesn't she?" Lucy asked nervously and Link sweat dropped as Gray nodded his head.

"You know her better now…" Gray said with a nervous sigh.

"Wait…" Lucy said as she suddenly realized her hitchhiker. "Why is _this_ my role?!" She demanded as she jerked her head towards Natsu as he continued to stay slumped on her back.

No one seemed to hear her as Erza walked back up to them. "It seems Eisenwald has taken over the station." She informed when she stopped in front of them. "A military platoon went in after them, we should hurry." She ordered and got nods from Link and Gray before they all quickly moved in.

"If a military platoon went in, shouldn't everything be okay now?" Lucy asked in a confused tone as she followed after everyone through the station. Even as she asked the question, she remembered Gray's lack of a positive reaction when she had mentioned the army before but couldn't figure out the reason for it.

Erza was swift with her answer as they moved up a flight of stairs to the main lobby of the station. "The opponent is a Guild, which means they're all mages." The redhead explained during their run. "A military platoon…" She said before trailing off and Lucy's eyes went wide when she saw dozens of bodies lying around on the stairs. "Wouldn't stand a chance." Erza finished and Lucy swallowed nervously.

"Hurry up!" Gray exclaimed as they reached the top of the stairs. "The platform is this way." Gray said and Lucy huffed as she hurried up after them.

When they got to the platform they all stopped to see the entire Eisenwald Guild waiting for them with confident smirks on just about every face. To top it off, Shinigami Eligor sat on top of the hijacked train with a confident smile on his face and his scythe resting easily on his right leg. "I knew you'd come, Fairy Tail." Eligor said when they walked in as he adjusted his scythe. "We've been waiting for you." He added with an evil grin and Lucy started sweating nervously.

"Wh-what's with all these people…?" She asked while Link, Erza, and Gray looked on calmly.

"You're Eligor, aren't you?" Erza asked the tall scythe wielder and Eligor chuckled.

"It really was Erza the other day…" Byard said and the fat man in the crimson jacket swallowed nervously.

"Natsu!" Lucy said nervously as she dropped the Dragon Slayer to the ground. "It's time to wake up!" She exclaimed nervously as she started to shake him but he barely responded as his head was whipped back and forth.

"Impossible!" Happy said as he pointed a paw at Lucy. "He went from a carriage driven by Erza to Lucy, that's a powerful combo!" He said and Link glanced back as Lucy sweat dropped.

"Since when do I count as transportation…?" She asked with a sigh of exasperation.

Link closed his eyes and whistled out a quick paced tune and everyone looked at him questioningly. Everyone except Natsu, that is, who blinked at the song before he suddenly and violently jumped to his feet; which had Lucy jerking back in surprise at his sudden recovery. "Thanks, Link." Natsu said with a grin as slammed his fist into his open palm and Link nodded his head. "These the guys I gotta beat in order to get my match?" Natsu asked and Gray sighed in annoyance before Erza held up one hand to quiet them.

"What do you intend to do?" The armored mage asked as she stepped forward with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Depending on your answer, I might have to make you pay for it." She warned as she glared at the entire Eisenwald Guild with supreme confidence.

While many of the Dark Guild looked at each anxiously, Eligor's smirk widened in dark humor. "We just want to fool around." He said then pulled the Lullaby out of a pocket and waved it around. "We've got no job and we're really bored." Eligor said and his follow Eisenwald mages laughed, albeit a little nervously. When none of the Fairy Tail mages responded to that for several seconds, the scythe wielder sighed. "Don't you understand yet?" He asked before he flew into the air. "What do they have inside a train station?" He asked as he hovered with a condescending smile.

"He flew!" Lucy said in surprise.

"It's Wind Magic." Happy explained as his wings sprouted and fluttered up to eye level with Lucy as they both looked at Eligor.

"Station?" Erza asked while Eligor flew next to a PA speaker and Link's eyes went wide.

"Bastard." Link said as a green aura surrounded him and Lucy's eyes shot open.

"He can talk?!" She exclaimed and Happy, Gray, and Natsu looked at her with deadpanned expressions before looking forward again.

Eligor grinned before he darted away as Link appeared on top of the PA speakers and looked at Erza. The armored mage's eyes quickly went wide with shock and realization even as Link's gaze shifted to Eligor."You're going to broadcast it?!" She demanded while the Shinigami quickly put some distance between himself and Link.

That was all Natsu needed to hear and rushed forward. "Attack!" He roared as flames shot from his body in preparation for what was certain to be one hell of a fight while Kageyama dropped to one knee and put his hand on the ground. Natsu quickly came to a stop when Lucy screamed and turned back at the same time everyone else did to see a large shadow hand reach up from the ground to grab her.

"Such a pity, little flies!" Kageyama exclaimed with a wide smile as the hand started to tighten its grasp. "To die without a glimpse-!" Kageyama's speech was cut short as Natsu quickly swung his hand back to send a stream of flame out. The fire easily cut through the hand to free Lucy from its dark grasp and Kageyama's face tightened in annoyance.

Eligor, however, just smiled as he viewed the scene as it played out before him. _You've__ fallen into our trap, Fairy Tail. _He thought as he flew off while Link was distracted. "I'll leave the rest to you guys while I go play the flute." Eligor said and Link's eyes went wide as he looked back to see Eligor smash through the window.

"Link!" Erza called out and the blue-eyed mage quickly looked back at her. "You go after Eligor while we take care of things here!" She said and Link nodded his head once before he disappeared in a green flash to reappear in front of the broken window only to quickly disappear again.

"He's going after Eligor-san!" One of the dark mages yelled out and Kageyama dropped to one knee.

"I'll take care of him, the rest of you focus on those three!" The dark-haired man ordered before he melded into his shadow and disappeared.

"You can't take him alone, Kageyama!" Rayule called as black strips appeared from his hand. He quickly sent them out to latch on to the PA speaker and used it to launch himself to the window. He quickly sent the black strips out again and jumped though the window and out of sight.

Byard watched Rayule take off through the window and gave a small sigh. "Those two are so belligerent…" He remarked before he turned his attention to his fellow Guild members. "Once we take care of these guys we'll go back them up." He said then gave a confident smile at their doubt-filled expressions. "With all of us here we can surely take them all down!" He said and everyone looked at each other before they slowly nodded their heads and grinned with a confidence borne of their numbers.

"Or better yet, let's catch her and that blonde one and sell them." A second man said and got calls of approval from the others.

"After we see the Fairy strip show." A third person added with a lewd smile and Natsu's and Gray's right eye twitched at the insulting remark while Erza glared at the Dark Guild.

"It's such a burden to be beautiful." Lucy remarked with a heavy sigh.

"And we've lost Lucy." Happy said dryly as he floated beside her.

Erza didn't even seem to hear them as she started to walk towards the Eisenwald mages. "How despicable." She said as she summoned the golden Buster Claymore. "Try insulting Fairy Tail further." She said and Gray held his left palm up and put his right fist over it as flames erupted from Natsu's fists.

"Anyone who insults Fairy Tail…" They all said together. "PAYS!" They yelled before Erza and Natsu charged forward as Gray prepared to unleash a blast of magic.

While the others engaged the Eisenwald mages left in the lobby, up on the Oshibana Station rooftop a slightly bloodied Kageyama was currently doing everything in his power to stop Link as Eligor floated overhead. _Why isn't he trying to play the flute? _Link wondered before he returned his attention to Kageyama. Held now in his right hand was a pentagon shield with a mirror finish, markings of a quarter moon with a star at the top, graceful curving lines at the bottom, and red trim; his magic absorbing Mirror Shield. In his left hand he held a longsword with a pale blue hilt that had a wing-like guard, and its blade was layered with large, golden diamond patterns; his nearly indestructible Gilded Sword.

His timing was perfect as the Shadow Mage prepared another spell. "Kage Orochi!" Kageyama yelled and eight shadow serpents rose up from the ground to strike at Link. The green mage flitted about in flashes of green light again and again to easily avoid the dark serpents. _Damnit… Rayule got taken out so easily! _Kageyama thought as he glanced at the unconscious and bloody Rayule for a second. "Now you're trapped!" He yelled triumphantly several seconds later as Link appeared in the midst of multiple entwining shadow serpents. Link looked around in mild surprise before his sword was instantly surrounded in a blue aura. "HYAA!" He yelled as he went into a spin and the sword released a blue wave of energy that made the shadow serpents disintegrate before Kageyama's disbelieving eyes.

"K-kage Ken!" Kageyama yelled as Link stopped his spin and a giant fist of shadow shot out from underneath Link to his chin. The swordmaster merely gave a single, almost negligent upward slash that clove the fist in two and both halves flew uselessly past him to either side. In the same move Link sheathed his sword while putting his shield on his back. He then put out his right hand and Requipped a wooden bow, a small portion of it painted blue above and below a leather grip and its ends painted red where it was stringed together; the Fairy Bow. At the same time he Requipped an arrow to his left hand and took aim. "Kouken Kage!" Kageyama quickly replied and his shadow came up in a broad shield before him.

The arrow in Link's hand suddenly glowed with a golden light and Kageyama's eyes went wide right. "W-wha-?" He managed to get out before Link fired the Light Arrow into Kageyama's defensive shadow. The defense might as well have not been there as the arrow easily pierced through the shadow and into Kageyama's stomach in a blinding flash of light.

Kageyama coughed up blood as the arrow impaled him and the force threw him from the roof top. He didn't get too far before Link caught his hand and pulled him back up to the roof. "W-what?" Kageyama asked in confusion as Link gently put him down even as he Ex-Equipped the arrow. Kageyama asked again but Link simply walked away from him as he Ex-Equipped the bow.

Link glared up at Eligor as the latter hovered in the air and the two stayed like that for several, silent seconds. "Heh, so even Kageyama was no match for you." Eligor said as a strong wind picked up and Link unsheathed his sword and readied his shield. "It's too bad… I actually would've liked to face you." He said and Link's eyes widened as the wind suddenly became opaque, blocking his view of Eligor. His response was immediate as his sword blazed with a red aura. "HYAAA!" Link roared as he gave a powerful, two-handed slash; releasing a large blast of energy that slammed into the wind before being sucked into it harmlessly. Blue eyes went wide before narrowing again as he recognized the spell. _Mafu Heki... I was too careless! _Link scolded himself as he looked around before he shook his head and Ex-Equipped his sword and shield before he moved to head back to the others.

Lucy was in a state of shock as she took the scene before her. "N... no way…" She said as she slowly shook her head in disbelief. "All those people… they were beaten so easily." She was finally able to get out as she looked at the beaten Eisenwald Guild.

"Aye." Happy said with a wide smile as he pumped one paw into the air.

"Tch… this wasn't much of a fight, Erza." Gray said as he kicked one guy in annoyance.

"Yeah, and you even took most of the fun!" Natsu complained and Erza looked at them, making them freeze up.

"I-I mean we were happy to help!" Gray said as he and Natsu slung their arms over each other's shoulders with wide smiles. "Right, buddy?" He asked and Natsu nodded his head.

"Aye, sir!" Natsu said right as Link appeared in the window before flashing down to join them.

"Link, where's Eligor?" Erza demanded and Link made a small sound of annoyance before he pointed to the window to show the group the wall of wind. "You let him escape?!" She demanded and Link lowered his gaze as he looked to the side, his ears drooping slightly, before he flashed up to the window with a series of quick jumps then disappeared from view.

"Er-Erza, I don't think Link-san-"

"I know!" Erza snapped, making Lucy jump back in fright, before walking up to Byard and picked him up by his collar. "You, what is Eligor planning to do?" She asked with narrowed eyes and Byard swallowed nervously but he shook his head.

Erza held out her hand and a dagger appeared that she quickly pointed at his stomach. "Let's try this again. Each time you don't answer I stab." She said and he gulped before nodding in submission.

"E-Eligor-sama is planning on playing the flute in the town ahead." He said and Erza's eyes narrowed when everyone looked up in suprise as an explosion rocked the building.

"W-w-what now?" Lucy asked nervously and Erza lowered her gaze as she gave a small sigh then returned her attention back to Byard.

"That's probably Link trying to break through the wind." Happy said as he raised up his paw and Lucy's eyes went wide as she stared down at Happy.

Gray's eyes suddenly went wide and he ran over to snatch Byard from a surprised Erza and punched him hard in the stomach, making him cough up blood. "You bastards!" He snarled before he put his face a few inches from the cowering man, his dark blue eyes shining with a cold fury. "Unless you want to spend your last moments as an ice cube, tell me how to remove that wind." He ordered and Byard started to tremble as he felt the air around him go cold.

"Gray!" Erza said in a surprised tone and Gray looked over at her.

"Don't you know what's going on over there?!" He asked and Erza looked at him in confusion before her eyes went wide.

"The Guild Masters' meeting!" She exclaimed before she looked back down at Byard as her eyes flashed angrily.

"WWHHAAAAAT?!" Natsu roared angrily as fire exploded from him and Lucy looked at them with wide eyes as she brought her hands to her mouth in shock.

"B-but that means…" She said before trailing off, too scared to even say the words out loud.

"I-I don't know how!" Byard yelled desperately but his panic only deepened as the expressions that Erza, Gray, and Natsu gave him told him that they were hardly convinced. "No one does except for Eligor-sama!" He cried out as his life started to flash before his eyes. "P-p-please... I... no... I..." He stammered out fearfully and Gray gave an exhale of disgust as he threw him to the ground.

Erza had already turned around at that point and took a few steps away. _There has to be a way... think... _She told herself and closed her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. Several seconds later her eyes snapped open and she quickly turned around to face the others. "Kageyama is the key." She said and Byard swallowed nervously as the other three looked at her curiously. "He was the one who removed the seal around the Lullaby, which means he's probably skilled at Dispelling Magic." She said and their eyes widened to varying degrees as it quickly sunk in.

"If he's a Dispeller, then that means he can get rid of this wind for us." Gray said and Erza nodded her head in confirmation.

"Everyone, head to the entrance and wait there." The red head ordered then looked over at their own Wind Mage. "Happy." She said and the blue cat snapped to attention with a salute. "Take me up to the roof, Kageyama was one of the one's who went after Link." She said and Happy nodded his head before he flew over to Erza and picked her up.

"Aye, sir!" He said before taking off through the window as everyone else ran towards the stairs.

"Karakka… you're still here aren't you?" Byard asked weakly as he held his stomach once everyone had left. A second later the fat man from before slowly phased out of a pillar.

"S-sorry…" Karakka apologized as he looked down at his Guildmate.

"There's no time for that." Byard said impatiently before he winced. "Erza's going after Kageyama." He continued a few seconds later and Karakka's widened in terror. "Don't worry; your job isn't to fight Erza or Link." He said with an evil grin and Karakka looked at him in surprise.

"Link!" Erza yelled as she and Happy landed on the roof and Link looked up from where he was bandaging Kageyama. "He's the one we need to nullify this wind." She said as Happy gently put her down and Link blinked in surprise as she quickly knelt down next to Kageyama and Requipped a dagger. "I want this wall of wind dispelled now." She ordered as she brought the dagger up before the Shadow Mage's eyes. "Every time you say no you gain a new cut." She said and Kageyama gulped nervously before looking to the side in defeat.

"U… under-" Kageyama suddenly coughed up blood and Erza's and Link's eyes went wide. They both quickly pulled him up to a sitting position to see a knife embedded into his back. "… stood…" He finished with another cough before he lost consciousness.

"Kageyama, hang in there!" Erza yelled as Link quickly pulled a gauze pad and a vial filled with a pink liquid out of his pouch. "We need your help!" She yelled even as Link forced the liquid down his throat before he removed the knife and quickly bandaged the wound. "Only you can dispel this wind barrier!" Erza screamed but Link put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head, it was obvious Kageyama was in no condition to do magic. Erza just shrugged Link's hand off her shoulder, which made him look at her in surprise. "Eligor's going to play the Lullaby at the Guild Masters' meeting!" She yelled and he leaned back as his eyes widened in shock. "If we can't get through this wind, then Master will die!" She finished and Link's eyes quickly narrowed as he stood up and looked at the barrier with calculating eyes.

_Strength and blasts weren't enough to get through this. _Link thought as he studied the wall carefully. _Think! It's your fault Eligor was able to escape in the first place! _He demanded before he took a calming breath. _High speed wind moving in a fast rotation… to attempt to force the body through would just end up in getting sliced to small bits. Fire is blown out and any direct blast or energy is just swept in with the rotation… _He thought before his eyes widened suddenly. _Of course! _He thought before he Requipped the Biggoron Sword and moved closer to the barrier.

Link brought the sword up over his head in a half guard and closed his eyes. A blue aura surrounded his sword before it quickly became red and Erza blinked before she looked up at Link as a green aura overlapped the red aura. Link's eyes snapped open as he spun in an opposite rotation of the Mafu Heki and swung the Biggoron Sword out. "HYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Link roared as he slammed the sword against the Wall of Wind and the red and green aura exploded out against the wind. Another explosion rocked the building before a long opening appeared in the wind and Erza's eyes went wide in surprise. Link didn't hesitate as he Ex-Equipped the Biggoron Sword and a golden trim with wings appeared at the bottom of his boots. A golden glow appeared before his feet as he crouched down slightly in midair as the golden aura became tinged with green.

"Link, you-!" Erza started to say but Link ignored her as he launched forward though the opening even as it started to close.

"I didn't know Link could fly." Happy said with wide eyes before he looked over at Erza as she stood up while bringing Kageyama to his feet.

"He shouldn't have." She said with a shake of her head and the blue cat looked up at her in confusion. "They're only meant to be used to hover for a period of time." She explained before her eyes firmed again. "Get us back inside." The armored mage ordered and Happy sweat dropped as he looked at her nervously.

"That's impossible; I can only carry one person at a time." Happy said and Erza looked down at Kageyama before she nodded her head.

"Very well, then just catch me when I arrive at the broken window and get me inside." Erza said simply. Happy looked at her in surprise before she went to the edge and jumped off and his eyes widened in panic as he took off.

"What's taking Erza so long?!" Natsu yelled in frustration as he paced at the entrance.

"Calm down Natsu, I'm sure she and Link-san will be here soon." Lucy said as Gray stood calmly while looking at the wind with his hands in his pockets.

The sound of armored footsteps made them turn around and their eyes went wide when they saw Erza carrying an unconscious Kageyama on her shoulder as walked beside her. "What happened?" Gray asked as they ran up to her.

"He was stabbed from the ground, most likely from someone in Eisenwald." Erza said and they looked at her in shock.

"Hey… where's Link-san?" Lucy asked as she looked around and Erza looked to the side before she set Kageyama down carefully.

"He broke through the wind and flew off." Happy said as he jumped down from Erza's shoulder.

"What?!" Natsu demanded as Lucy and Gray gave sighs of relief.

"If Link was able to get out then there's nothing to worry about." Gray said while Natsu turned around to glare angrily at the wind.

"Kage… please… we need your help…" Erza said gently and Natsu turned around as everyone looked at her.

"Erza, if Link was able to get out-"

"The boots he used aren't supposed to be used for flight!" She snapped and everyone flinched. "He only recently found a way to combine Farore's Wind with the Hover Boots for flight, but it drains his magic at an extremely fast rate." Erza said before looking back down at Kageyama. "He was already exhausted to begin with, so by the time he reaches Eligor he probably won't even be able to see straight."

"But this is Link; he'll still be able to fight." Gray said and Erza glared up at him, making him sweat nervously as he stepped back.

"You think I don't know that?" She asked dangerously and Gray quickly shook his head. "My concern is whether or not Link will fight to win or fight to take Eligor out with him." Erza said and Natsu turned back around at the wall.

"If Link can get through…" Natsu said as fire erupted from his hand. "SO CAN I!" He roared before launching himself forward to the punch at the barrier.

Natsu was immediately sent flying back with a cry of pain to slam on to his back. "Natsu!" Lucy screamed in concern as she ran forward to crouch next to him.

"Idiot… you can't do anything with just brute force here." He said as Lucy crouched down next to Natsu in concern.

"Can't you freeze the wind or something?" Lucy asked before she looked at Natsu in surprise as he jumped back up to his feet.

"If I could've done that I would have a long time ago." Gray said as he looked steadily at the wind.

* * *

_**Five miles from Clover Town**_

Eligor flew over the train tracks at a moderate pace as it came to a deep, wide ravine. Over a hundred feet wide, the only thing that connected the two sides was the reinforced tracks. _There it is... _He thought with a wide smile as a collection of buildings amidst a large forest came into a view. "Clover Town... and all those Guild Masters..." He said out loud then looked down at the demonic flute in his hands and gave an evil chuckle. _Soon... _He promised himself as he put the flute into a pocket.

A sudden light from behind made him look back curiously. His curiosity quickly changed to shock and his eyes went wide when he saw Link flying in at high speed with his Gilded Sword held tightly in both hands. Eligor turned in the air and brought his scythe up to block as Link swung down with a blue aura around the blade. "HYAA!" Link yelled as he slashed and his blow was only momentarily slowed by the block before it cut through the staff of the scythe and into Eligor's torso. He continued to fly by and slammed into the train tracks, where he immediately went into a roll to take most of the impact from the fall and went into a long slide as he got to his feet.

Eligor's eyes went wide at the cut as he fell to the tracks with a thud and coughed up blood as Link stood up. He almost immediately went down to one knee with a gasp as the golden trim disappeared from his boots. _Damn… _Link thought as his vision blurred from exhaustion. _Can barely keep my eyes open… _He thought before he shook his head and focused on the downed Eligor.

Link slowly forced himself to his feet before he looked at his bloodied sword, his leather gloves replaced with his Silver Gauntlets. A sudden gasp from Eligor had him looking up in surprise as Eligor turned over onto his stomach before he slowly stood up. "You damn… shitty fly…" Eligor said as he looked at his broken scythe before glaring at Link. "How the hell did you get out of my Mafu Heki?" He gasped out. In reply, Link simply extended his right arm and Requipped his Mirror Shield. "Damnit… I was almost to those geezers…" He ground through clenched teeth out before putting both pieces in his right hand and moving his left in a quick pattern. "Die." Eligor said before a barrage of wind blades shot out at Link.

Link positioned his feet as he put his Mirror Shield out to block and Eligor looked on in surprise as the wind blades were absorbed into the Shield. "Ha!" He yelled as he thrust out with his shield and the wind blades shot back out at Eligor.

Eligor quickly put the staff half of his broken scythe into his left hand and twirled it quickly, creating a vortex of wind. "Sutomu Kabe." He said as the wind blades reached him and they were easily deflected in different directions as they hit the wind vortex.

Eligor looked at Link with wide eyes as Link glared steadily back at him, both of them breathing hard. "I see…" Eligor said before a heavy wind started to surround him. "Sutomo... Meiru." He said with a wide grin as the high speed winds surrounded him in a nearly opaque armor of wind.

_This wind… it's like a typhoon. _Link thought as he readied his sword and shield. _My sword will have a hard time penetrating that wind; I'll need to think of something fast. _He realized as his vision blurred again for a couple of seconds.

"It looks like I'll get to fight you after all, Link." Eligor said before he threw the broken staff away and spun the scythe turned sickle in his hand as the wind swirled around its edge. "Maharathi Link, the Master of Weapons!" He yelled as he flew in at Link, who rushed forward to meet his charge.

* * *

Titania – Name from a Shakespearean play given to the Queen of the Fairies.

Kage Orochi – Shadow Eight-Headed Snake

Kage Ken – Shadow Punch/Knuckle

Kouken Kage – Guardian Shadow

Mafu Heki – Wind Wall

Sutomu Kabe – Storm Wall

Sutomu Meiru – Storm Mail

Maharathi – In Hindu mythology this is the title given to a warrior capable of taking on thousands of warriors simultaneously, due mainly because of his mastery of all weapons and combat styles.


	6. Fairy Tail's Strongest Team

Chapter Five

Trapped within Oshibana Station by Eligor's Mafu Heki; Erza, Gray, Lucy, and Happy tried to think of a way around the barrier. Their concentration was somewhat strained not only because a greatly depleted Link was most likely fighting Eisenwald's strongest mage by now, but because someone had determined the best way to go was straight through the barrier.

"NUAAAA!" Natsu roared as he slammed his shoulder into the wind and tried to force himself through. Covered in scratches from previous attempts to break through, the Dragon Slayer didn't even seem to notice them as he struggled against the magical wind.

"Natsu, stop it!" Lucy cried out as she reached her limit in silently watching while he slowly destroyed himself. Natsu didn't even seem to hear her as he slowly pushed himself a little further into the barrier. "You'll only end up killing yourself at this rate." She pleaded but he simply clenched his teeth while his face tightened as he tried to take another step.

"Kah!" Natsu yelled as he was forcefully thrown back by the heavy winds.

Lucy was ready for his flight this time as she moved to catch him, though the impact sent her skidding back a few feet. "Natsu! Just give it a rest!" She ordered and Natsu blinked before he looked back at her.

"Damnit... what should I do?" Erza wondered out loud as she paced in frustration. _I shouldn't have snapped at him like that! _She mentally scolded herself. "Gray," Erza said and Gray jumped before looking at her. "Please hit me." She ordered and he looked at her for a few seconds in blank amazement.

"Th-there's no need for that…" Gray finally said as he took a step back while he brought his hands up in a placating gesture. _I like living far too much_. He thought as he grinned nervously at her.

Lucy accepted Natsu's scrutiny for several seconds before her eyes narrowed. "What?" She asked crossly as Natsu kept looking at her with an expression caught somewhere between curiosity and confusion.

That expression suddenly changed as he spun with a wide smile to grab her by the shoulders. "I've got it!" He yelled in excitement even as Lucy jerked in surprise at his sudden movement and yell. "We'll use the Stellar Spirits." He announced as if it were obvious and crossed his arms over his chest.

Lucy obviously didn't share that sentiment as she blinked and looked at him uncertainly. "Eh?" She was able to ask through her confusion while Erza and Gray looked over at them.

"I was able to travel through the Stellar Spirit's world in Everlue's Mansion, remember?" Natsu said and Lucy sweat dropped as she recalled how he had indeed somehow hitched a ride on the large Spirit, Virgo.

"Erm… humans normally die when they enter it…" Lucy started off slowly but Natsu just continued to grin in anticipation. "You see, there's no air to breathe." She tried to explain before she shook her head and looked at Natsu steadily. "Besides, the Gate only opens where the Celestial Spirit Mage is standing." She said but Natsu only cocked his head. "Meaning if you want to get out through the Spirit World we'd need at least one Celestial Spirit Mage on the outside." Lucy finished with a shake of her head to show it wasn't possible.

Natsu continued to look at her for several seconds before he just threw his hands up. "That's too confusing." He stated and Lucy looked at him in disbelief. "We don't have time for this, just do it anyways!" He demanded and Lucy looked at him before she shook her head in exasperation.

"I just said it's impossible!" She screamed before she sighed as she put her right hand to her forehead. "One more thing," Lucy said a couple of seconds later as she put one finger up, her face flushed with irritation. "It's a serious breach of contract when a human enters the Stellar Spirit World." She said and Natsu blinked as he looked at her. "It was okay the other time because it was Everlue's Key." She explained and Happy froze.

"Evaroo's… Key…" He said slowly before his eyes went wide. "Aaahhhh!" Happy yelled as he jumped into the air, making everyone look at him in surprise. "Lucy! I just remembered!" The cat exclaimed as he pointed at her with his right paw before he turned to pull his pack his small pack off his back.

"Wh-what?" Lucy asked somewhat nervously.

"The thing I was going to tell you." He answered in a distracted tone as he sifted through the bag before he stopped and pulled something out. "This." He said with a smile as he brought his paw up.

Lucy's eyes went wide when she saw the Golden Key. A beautiful piece of craftsmanship, the center of the bow was white, stamped with the crest of the Maiden, colored in purple. Surrounding the heart-shaped center on either side were simple curves, spiraling on the top and bottom, with the end of the key shaped like a heart "That's… that's Virgo's Key!" Lucy yelled in surprise and Happy nodded. "You shouldn't take someone's belongings without permission!" Lucy yelled as she crouched down to painfully pinch his cheeks.

"No, Virgo herself wanted you to have this." Happy said with a pained grimace and Lucy's eyes shot open in shock.

""What are you talking about?" Erza asked with a mix of impatience and mild curiosity.

"You shouldn't waste our time talking about nonsense." Gray said with a sigh.

While Lucy tried to recover from her surprise, Natsu looked up thoughtfully. "Virgo…" He said before his face cleared in remembrance.. "Ah! You mean the maid gorilla!" Natsu said with a broad smile and Happy slowly nodded his head.

"Lucy..." Happy groaned and the blonde mage blinked before she realized she was still pinching the feline's face and quickly let go. He rubbed his cheeks for a few seconds to get the feeling back into them before he continued his explanation. "She said that since Everlue was arrested, their Contract was broken." Happy said as he held the Key up once more. "So she wanted a Contract with you this time, she visited me to tell me." He added and Lucy shivered as she crouched down.

"That…" She said as the image of Virgo's large, brutish face came to her. "Came to your house…" Lucy said before she shook her head. "I love the offer, but now's not the time for that. We have to think of a way out of here!" She said firmly.

"But-" Happy started to say before Lucy pinched both his cheeks and pulled on them again.

"Be quiet and say "Meow meow"." She said and Gray looked at her blankly until she let Happy down.

"But Virgo can dive underground…" Happy said when he was let go as he looked down despondently. "I thought we could use that to go under the wind and escape." Everyone's eyes went wide at his words and they stared at him for a few seconds before they recovered.

"What?!" Erza demanded and Happy looked up at her.

"Is that true?!" Gray added a second later and Happy nodded his head.

Lucy quickly recovered next with a wide smile. "You're right!" She exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "Good job, Happy." She said before she gave him a stern glare. "Why didn't you say that earlier?" She demanded and Happy blinked as he turned his gaze back to her.

"You were pinching my cheeks." He answered and Lucy blushed in embarrassment before she took the Key.

The Celestial Spirit Mage stood straight and held the Zodiac Key out before her as she closed her eyes. "I am the person who connects the road to the Stellar Spirit World." She chanted and the Key gave off a light glow. "Thou… shalt respond to the calling and pass through the Gate" She said and the outline of a golden keyhole appeared in front of the Zodiac Key. "Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo" She finished and a bright flash of light momentarily blinded everyone. When the light disappeared, before them a petite woman with short, purple hair wearing a maid outfit with shackles on her wrists had appeared.

Blue eyes looked intently at Lucy before the woman offered a small bow with her right arm dipped in front of her and closed her eyes. "How may I assist you, Mistress?" Virgo asked and Lucy's eyes went wide in shock.

"Eh?" She asked and Virgo opened her eyes to look at her.

"You lost weight." Natsu remarked as he walked up to her and Virgo bowed her head towards him.

"I apologize for causing you trouble last time." She said and Lucy's eyes bulged out.

"It's not just her appearance, it's like she a different person!" Lucy screamed before she shook her head and pointed a trembling finger at her. "W-what's going on...?" Lucy stammered out and Virgo looked at her.

"I'm a loyal Stellar Spirit of my owner; I work in whatever appearance you prefer." Virgo said and Natsu tiled his head as he looked at her.

"You looked stronger and more compelling before." He said and Virgo looked at him.

"Then…"

"Don't say unnecessary things!" Lucy screamed as she fought the desire to punch Natsu in the back of the head..

"Heh, she's pretty cute." Gray said with a grin as Erza smiled.

"Lucy, huh… looks like she's a great mage after all." She said before her smile dropped slightly.

"We don't have time right now; can we make a Contract later?" Lucy asked desperately and Virgo bowed her head slightly.

"As you wish, my Mistress." She said and Lucy sweat dropped.

"Wait, don't call me Mistress." Lucy said and Virgo glanced at Lucy's whip.

"Then how about "Your Highness"?" Virgo asked.

"Rejected!" Lucy said and Virgo cocked her head.

"How about "Princess"?" She asked and Lucy nodded.

"That works fine-" Lucy was cut off as she, and everyone, flinched and looked over as Erza slammed one foot into the ground, creating a small crater, as she glared at Lucy. "R-right!" Lucy stammered out before she looked back at Virgo.

"Understood. Here I go." Virgo said then disappeared into the ground, creating a large tunnel.

"Good job, Lucy." Erza congratulated as she patted her back, slamming her head into the steel breastplate.

"Ouch!" Lucy yelled in pain.

"Alright! Let's get going!" Gray yelled and Erza picked Kageyama up.

"Erza… what are you doing?" Lucy asked as Erza ran over to the hole.

"Link was bandaging him; it wouldn't be right if the effort were to go to waste." She said as she jumped into the hole. _Wait… Natsu and Happy weren't inside the station after I picked up Kageyama. _Erza realized in surprise.

* * *

The wind howled across the wide ravine as Link's Gilded Sword and Mirror Shield gleamed brightly in the sun. The gleam caused several bright glares as they flashed again and again while Link traded blows with what remained of Eligor's scythe.

"This actually works to my advantage." Eligor said with a laugh as he punched out with his left hand and Link ducked down while using his shield to deflect the punch upwards, sending several wind blades up into the sky, before retaliating with a fast barrage of thrusts with enough force that he made Eligor stagger back before he came back in with more skilled slashes. "With this narrow track your options for fighting are rather limited, and it looks like you wasted most of your magic catching up to me anyways!" He went on with more laughter as Link parried a slash before the swordmaster lunged up to slam his shield into Eligor's face. Eligor went back a step from the impact as the Sutomu Meiru sent Link flying back several feet where he landed on his feet before stumbling, his face layered in sweat. "Is that all?" Eligor asked with a sigh before twirling his sickle as Link wiped his face with his sleeve before charging forward again. "Sutomu Danpen!" Eligor said as he punched with his left hand and larger wind blades shot out at Link.

Link stopped as he put his shield forward and once again the wind blades were absorbed into the Mirror Shield. "You fool!" Eligor yelled and Link's eyes went wide as the Shinigami sent his left hand through a set of complex gestures. "Sutomu Buringu!" He cried out as he thrust his left hand out and a tornado shot from his extended hand. The attack swirled around him rather than directly at him and picked him up before flying up into the sky. Link closed his eyes as he spun, his face tightening in pain as wind blades cut into him, before he was finally spit out. "This is it!" Eligor yelled with a triumphant laugh as he flew in to deliver the final blow.

Link's right eye suddenly shot open and he moved the Mirror Shield in front of him; which shot a blinding glare of sunlight right into Eligor's eyes. "What the-?!" Eligor started to say before his wind blades shot out from the shield and slammed into him with jarring impact. Eligor grunted as the attack sent him flying back and nearly penetrated his Sutomu Meiru.

He quickly recovered, though, and hovered in the air as he prepared to deliver a retort to Link's counter. Eligor's expression changed to surprise when he saw Link had Ex-Equipped both shield and sword and now held the Fairy Bow in his left hand with an arrow already notched. "You fool!" The tall mage said as an arrogant sneer quickly replaced his surprise. "With my Sutomu Meiru, arrows are-!" Eligor's smile was quickly wiped from his face when finally noticed something different about this arrow; it had a cluster of four mini-bombs attached right behind the arrow head.

The bombs went off right before the arrow came into contact with Eligor and the blast sent him even further back while making him close his eyes. A second later he felt a small hooked blade slam into his stomach and his eyes shot open in a mixture of surprise and pain as Link came in at him; appearing as no more than a green blur. Even with that optical illusion, Eligor could still barely see an unusual looking device strapped to his right forearm. Nearly a foot long, this cylindrical object had a blue center with purple on its outer parts, the back end tapering down in a pyramid shape. The front end had a long length of chain attached to it, and connected to that chain was the small blade now impaled in Eligor's stomach.

_H-how?! _Eligor wondered as Link slammed his left, gauntlet-covered fist into his stomach. The strength of the attack made him cough up blood even as he felt his spine crack. Eligor's eyes suddenly went wide as Link started patting Eligor's pants to find the Lullaby. _The blast from the explosion! He gambled on it being enough to counter the wind coming from my Sutomu Meiru. It protected me but they negated each other while my concentration was broken, preventing me from summoning more wind. _He realized in shock as Link's expression brightened.

Link ripped a portion of Eligor's pants off to grab the Lullaby and quickly put it in one of his pouches. _No! _Eligor thought even as Link jumped back and Requipped the Fairy Bow and another arrow. _To lose to this fly!_ He thought as a cold wind came from the arrowhead and Link shot down at Eligor. _TO LOSE TO THIS FLY! _Eligor raged as he brought his hands up even as ice began to overtake his torso. "Take this!" Eligor roared as intense winds once again surrounded him. "Soaring Wind Magic that cuts down anything!" Link blinked in surprise as the Shinigami crossed the index and middle fingers of his left and right hand out at full extension before him. "EMARA BARAM!" Eligor roared and Link's eyes went wide as he dismissed his bow.

A green aura appeared around Link but then just as quickly blanked out. His eyes went wide as he brought his arms up in a defensive posture before his torso and face as the large funnel of winds flew in at him. Right before the attack connected with him, his entire body glowed a translucent blue. "Aaahhhh!" Link screamed in pain as the wind blades slammed into him with bone-shattering force. The impact sent him to the far side of the train tracks, where he was sent plummeting into the unknown depths.

The ravine was quiet once more for several minutes before a loud roar shattered the silence. "LIIIIINK!" Natsu and Happy flew overhead at high speed over the track as they tried to catch up to Link and Eligor. The Dragon Slayer carefully scanned below him as they flew when Happy suddenly wobbled. "Happy!" Natsu yelled out before he looked back in surprise.

"Sorry Natsu… I can't fly any further…" Happy panted out tiredly as sweat dripped from his entire furry form.

Natsu nodded his head once as he quickly took in Happy's exhaustion before he pointed down to the rail.. "Just set me down on the tracks." He said and Happy nodded before he slowly glided down.

Natsu gingerly picked up his feline friend and carried him in his arms while he walked forward. "Clover's just ahead..." Natsu grumbled irritably as he walked. "Link should've been able to catch up to that wind bastard somewhere around here." He thought as he looked to each side as if expecting to see Link suddenly spring from the black depths. He had only walked for a couple of minutes before he suddenly froze as he sniffed the air carefully. "No way…" Natsu said as he looked over the side of the train tracks. "Link's scent…" He said slowly before his eyes went wide. "LIIIIIIIIIIIINK!" He roared loudly, the noise making Happy jerk in surprise, before he ran to the edge to look down.

Natsu's eyes went wide when he saw a scraped and heavily sweating Link hanging from a long length of chain attached to a blade that was hooked firmly into the wooden rail. The swordmaster's green tunic had several large cuts in it and seemed more a gathering of rags than a tunic and showed hints of a large scar that started at his right shoulder and crossed down to mid-stomach. Natsu continued to look down at Link for several seconds before he finally gave a sigh of relief. "Where's Eligor?" He asked and Link pointed further down into the ravine before he held his left hand up.

Natsu broke into a broad grin before he carefully set down Happy to jump down from wooden beam to wooden beam in order to get to Link. "So, when's our match?" Natsu asked when he reached him and Link gave a small sigh as he slumped his head. His reaction only got a laugh from the battle-hungry mage before Natsu grabbed him and started to carefully make his way back up.

* * *

On the same tracks, but much further back, a green magical vehicle came to the end of one side of the ravine and continued on at full speed despite the severe drop to either side. Erza was back on the driver seat as the vehicle seemed to just soar over the tracks while Gray, Lucy, and a finally conscious Kageyama sat inside.

Everyone was silent during the ride and the air was thick with tension as Lucy kept a close eye on the Eisenwald mage. Gray didn't seem interested at all in their passenger as he sat with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. Looks were deceiving, however, as the Ice-Make Mage was ready to burst into action faster than either Lucy or Happy could hope to.

"Hey..." Kageyama suddenly spoke up and Lucy almost jerked in surprise. "Wh-why did you bring me along?" He asked uncertainly and Lucy frowned slightly.

"We had no choice since there was no else in town." The blonde said as she regarded him nervously. "So we're gonna take you to a hospital in Clover." She said before her eyes narrowed into a glare. "You'd better be grateful." She said and Kageyama shook his head in frustration.

"Not that!" Kageyama snapped before he gave an annoyed sigh and took a calming breath. "We're enemies, so why are you helping me?" He asked, sincerely confused, before he paused and a sly grin came to him. "Oh I know… you're taking me hostage so you can negotiate with Eligor-san…" He reasoned before he shook his head. "You're wasting your time, he's far too cold-blooded for that." He said with a shake of his head.

"Uwaahh… what a gloomy thought." Lucy said with a disheartened sigh.

"I can kill you right now if you want to die so badly." Gray remarked as he glanced over at him and Kageyama looked at him nervously.

"Gray!"

The dark haired mage ignored Lucy's outburst as he continued to lock eyes with the Shadow Mage. "Life and death aren't the only two possible outcomes in a conflict, right?" He asked and Kageyama looked at him with wide eyes. "You should all live your lives more positively." He advised before he looked forward again.

As Kageyama processed the Ice-Make Mage's words, the vehicle suddenly jerked on to its two right wheels. "Kyaa!" Lucy screamed as she was sent into a twisting flight to slam her butt into Kageyama's face. The vehicle was quickly back on four wheels again and Lucy was dropped to the ground.

"Erza!" Gray yelled out as he moved forward.

"Sorry!" Erza returned quickly as she regained control. "I'm alright." She added even as she gasped for breath. _My sight is getting blurry…_She thought as she tried to focus. _Did I consume too much magical power? _Erza wondered before shaking her head to clear her vision. _Link… don't do anything too reckless... _She thought as the carriage sped down the track.

"Don't go around bumping people with your huge ass." Kageyama said in annoyance and Lucy blushed as she brought her hands to her face.

"Hieek!" She screamed as she pointed a finger at him. "A sexual harassment!" Lucy shrieked before she looked over at her teammate. "Gray, kill him!" She yelled and Gray's eyebrow twitched as he glared at Lucy.

"Hey… don't go making light of my remarks..." He said in an annoyed tone.

It wasn't too long after that when Erza's tired eyes went wide when she finally saw a very welcome sight. Link, Natsu, and Happy all stood on the tracks as they waited for the vehicle to reach them. Erza brought the vehicle to a grinding stop once she was close enough and the doors opened up to let the occupants pile out.

"Link-san! Natsu!" Lucy cried out happily when she saw they were still in one piece and got a wide grin from Natsu while Link simply nodded at her.

"Are you both okay?" Erza asked with concern in her eyes and Link offered a weak grin before his gaze showed his own concern at her tired eyes and sweat-streaked face.

"Link stole all the fun over here, too." Natsu's good cheer quickly shifted into a disgruntled grumble as he crossed his arms over his chest. "This is why I didn't want to come!" He exclaimed angrily and Link just shook his head in exasperation while Erza just gave a small chuckle before she detached the SE Plug.

"Good work, Link." Gray said as he walked up to clap Link on the shoulder, to which he received a small grin and a nod in return.

"W-where's Eligor?" Kageyama stammered out as he looked around and Link pointed into the ravine. "No... no way..." His eyes went wide with shock as he looked down at the ravine. "Eligor is... dead?" He asked and Link nodded in confirmation.

Erza slowly got down from the vehicle and started to walk over to Link. "Erza, are you okay?" Lucy asked when Erza wobbled slightly and Link looked at her in concern.

"Y-yeah… I'm fine." Erza said before she stopped in front of the blonde swordmaster. "Link…" She started to say but Link just held the Lullaby out to her. Brown eyes looked at him in surprise before the armored mage smiled slightly before she gave a small sigh. "I don't think Master will let me keep this souvenir." She said and Link blinked before he looked down at the demonic flute and offered his own small sigh that ended with a grin.

"Does this mean we did it?" Lucy asked and Erza looked back with a grin.

"That's right, the Masters are now safe." Erza said and Lucy brought her hands together with a clap as everyone smiled. "Since we're here already… we might as well go see our Master at the meeting place. We need to report this incident and ask what to do about the flute." Erza said before she looked at Link. "Clover's just ahead, anyways." She added and Link nodded before he started to slowly head to the vehicle.

Link's eyes suddenly went wide and he pushed Erza out of the center of the rail before jumping to the opposite side as the vehicle came in at them. During his jump, a shadow hand shot out from under the vehicle and pulled the Lullaby from Link's relaxed grip to throw it to Kageyama.

"Kageyama!" Erza yelled in surprise as Link landed on his feet and turned around while he brought his right arm up to aim the Longshot, the action causing a sudden glare from his Silver Gauntlets.

"You dropped your guard, Fairy Tail!" Kageyama shouted triumphantly as he brandished the evil flute. "The Lullaby... is now in my hands!" He shouted, and his loud shouts of victory made it impossible to hear the small metallic sound of the Longshot firing. His loud cheers also cut off the sound of the small hooked blade sinking into the vehicle. "Now that I have thiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSS!" The Shadow Mage's final word stretched out into a loud cry of panic as Link gave a mighty heave and stopped the speeding vehicle in its tracks.

The SE Plug snapped from Kageyama's arm as he was sent flying all the way across the ravine to crash into the trees with a loud cry of pain. "Woah… nice distance…" Natsu said while Link fell to his knees; his entire body trembling from the exertion.

_Perhaps I should've rested after all... _Link admitted to himself as blood leaked from a few opened scrapes.

"Let's go!" Erza ordered and everyone nodded their heads as Gray helped the still trembling Link up and gave him his shoulder to lean on while Natsu picked up the still tired Happy before all five made their way to the vehicle.

* * *

_**Clover Town**_

Kage came out from his shadow, breathing heavily, and a wide grin broke out on his face as he looked at the still occupied building twenty feet from him. _Good… the meeting isn't over yet. _He thought as he struggled to steady his breathing. It took a couple of minutes until he stopped gasping, but once he did he looked down at the Lullaby with an evil smirk. _The melody should easily reach them from this distance._ He thought with an internal chuckle before he slowly stood up._ The time has come. _The Shadow Mage determined as he brought the flute to his lips and started to take a breath.

"Hey." A sudden voice said from behind him and he quickly started to turn and pushed his cheek into a pointer finger attached to an abnormally long arm. On the end of that arm stood none other than the Fairy Tail Master, Makarov, who quickly returned it back to its original length. "Fuhyahyahya!" Makarov laughed merrily at Kageyama's reaction before he suddenly stopped and turned away. _No… this isn't the time for that. _He thought desperately as he shook his head. _If I don't find out where those four went who knows what might disappear… _Makarov thought then glanced back at Kageyama. "You should get to a hospital young man." He said before he started off at a quick pace.

_Makarov… _Kageyama thought in shock. _He's Makarov from Fairy_ Tail… He realized before his eyes narrowed in a mixture of disbelief and annoyance._ Tch, what a gathering of flies this day is. _He thought before he gave a small smile. "Er… erm…" Kageyama said nervously and Makarov looked back at him curiously while he walked up to him. "Will you… listen to one song?" Kageyama asked with a hopeful smile. "The hospital won't let me play it, but I really want someone to listen to it." He said and Makarov looked at him dubiously.

"That's a pretty creepy flute." Makarov said as he pointed at it and Kageyama gave a small laugh.

"It may seem so, but it sounds pretty decent." Kageyama replied and after a few seconds Makarov gave a small sigh.

"I'm in a hurry, so just one song." He said and Kageyama nodded his head as he held in a smile of triumph.

_My win! _He thought as he brought the flute to his lips. "Please listen carefully." Kageyama requested as his Guild flashed through his mind

"_Legal Guilds are so lame!" Rayule said as he looked at a copy of Sorcerer's Weekly. _

_"Their abilities are so low, yet they're so proud of it!" Byard added in to the laughter of everyone around him._

"_This is our revenge against those that banished us to live in the darkness!" Eligor announced with a wide smile. "As a start, we'll kill their Guild Masters!" He yelled and everyone cheered._

Kage took a steadying breath as he prepared to play before the memory of Link, whom he had just tried to kill, saved him even after shooting him off the roof while Eligor just watched. His eyes snapped open again as more flashes came. First Link removing the arrow and then bandaging his wound, Erza shouting that they needed his help, and finally to Gray's words. Kageyama's teeth clenched in frustration as he tried to decide what to do as the carriage came up.

"There he is!" Gray yelled from the inside of the magical vehicle and Erza quickly parked it still a good distance away.

"Old man!"

"Master!"

Natsu and Erza both yelled out as everyone piled out of the vehicle when a sudden figure appeared beside them in the bushes.

Everyone jerked in surprise when they it was a bald, cross-dressing, elderly man wearing a purple spaghetti-strap shirt accessorized by a gold and fuchsia hoop necklace, and a vertical-striped pink and purple shorts. "Shhh." He said as he held his finger up to his lips. "The best part is coming up." He said before looking back. "Wait, you guys are cute. Ufufufu." He said with a happy giggle and Natsu and Gray shivered as Link, in what appeared to be a new tunic, jumped into the canopy of the closest tree.

"Wh-who is he!" Lucy asked with a nervous expression.

"The Blue Pegasus Guild Master, Bob." Erza said and he looked at her with a smile while he put a hand to his cheek.

"My Erza-chan, you've grown." Bob said before he looked up into the tree at Link, who quickly hid behind some leaves and completely disappeared from sight. "So that must be Link-chan I assume?" He asked and some leaves shivered before going still again.

"What's going on?" Makarov asked impatiently as Kageyama stood frozen in indecision. "Hurry up already."

"No!" Erza shouted as Link's face appeared from the leaves, poised to launch out, before they stopped as an elderly man wearing a black shirt, pants, spiked choker, sunglasses, and a black witch hat seemed to appear beside them.

"Just stay quiet." The man, Goldmine the Guild Master of Quatro Cerberus, said as he crossed his arms over his chest while other Guild Masters were seen gathering around them. "This should get interesting." He said as he looked on with a smile.

"Now." Makarov demanded as he glared at Kageyama and Kageyama jerked in surprise before bringing the flute to his lips.

_Just play it… I just need to play! Everything will change after that! _He thought before Makarov gave a sigh.

"Nothing will change." Makarov said and Kageyama froze in shock. "Weaklings will stay weak forever." He said as he looked him in the eye. "But weakness is not evil, since human beings are weak creatures to begin with." He said and Kageyama looked at him with wide eyes. "Alone, you feel nothing but insecurity. That is why we form Guilds, why we gather nakama." Makarov paused for a moment as the Shadow Mage slowly brought the Lullaby from his lips. "We walk together in order to live a strong life." He continued after a few moments and everyone looked at him. "The clumsy ones will run into walls more often than others, and it may also take them longer to get there, but if you believe in tomorrow and put yourself out there… you can naturally obtain your own strength." He said and Kageyama's body began to tremble. "That's how you'll be able to smile and live strong… without having to depend on such a flute of course." Makarov finished with a wide smile and Kageyama's eyes shot wide open as he looked at Makarov in disbelief.

_Amazing… he knew everything… _He thought before he slowly slumped to his knees and dropped the demon flute. "I admit my loss." He said as he bowed his head and Makarov gave a small sigh.

"Master!" Erza shouted as she and the others ran up with happy smiles.

"Old man!" Natsu and Gray yelled out and Makarov looked back as his jaw dropped in shock.

"What the... what are you lot doing here?!" Makarov yelled in dumbfoundment as they reached him.

Erza didn't say anything at first, but rather grabbed him and pulled into a hug that slammed his head into her armor "You're amazing! Your words deeply touched me!" She said happily over his yell of pain and Link nodded with a small grin when Erza let him go.

"You're really something, old man." Natsu agreed with a wide smile as he crouched down and patted Makarov on the head and Makarov's eyes closed in annoyance.

"If you really think so stop patting my head." He said with a small sigh.

"It's all settled now." Gray said with a tired sigh as Lucy crouched in front of Kageyama.

"Come on, now, let's go see a doctor." She said and Kageyama nodded without saying a word or looking up.

"Don't know what's going on but you're cute too." Bob said with a smile as he crouched down by Kageyama.

"Ka ka ka ka." The Lullaby suddenly laughed as smoke issued from its mouth. "You mages have no guts." It said and everyone looked down at it with wide eyes. "I can't hold it any longer. I'll just eat you all myself." It said as more smoke came out and began to take shape.

"The... the flute just talked!" Lucy screamed in surprise and Link winced as his ears twitched. He barely noticed his own instinctive reaction, though, as everyone watched the smoke drift up further.

"The smoke is starting to take shape!" Happy announced and indeed the smoke did appear to be forming into a large form, easily twenty stories at least.

Before long, the smoke solidified into an extremely tall monster with three eyes, two legs, two arms and a monstrous head. Its twisted body contained many different sized holes that a good-sized human could jump clean though. "**LET ME CONSUME… YOUR PITIFUL SOULS!" **Lullaby roared and as everyone looked on in shock Link's eyes tightened before drawing his sword and readying the Mirror Shield. _  
_

"Wh-what is this!" Kageyama said in shock as he looked at the demon.

"Oh my… this is bad." Blue Pegasus Master said as he brought a hand to his mouth.

"It's a devil from the Book of Zeref!" The man with the black robes yelled in shock.

"**I'M STARVING TO DEATH…" **Lullaby rumbled as it held one clawed hand up. **"SO I'M GOING TO EAT YOUR SOULS!" **It roared and everyone tensed slightly in anticipation.

"WHAAAT?!" Natsu roared before he looked around in confusion. "Are souls tasty?" He asked and everyone, even the massive Lullaby, paused as they regarded the Dragon Slayer in stunned silence for several seconds.

A loud roar from the Lullaby quickly brought everyone back to their current predicament and forced Lucy to tack a step back in terror. "What… what is going on?" Lucy asked as she stared up at the Lullaby in terror. "How could a devil come from a flute…?"

"That devil is the Lullaby itself!" Goldmine yelled before he swallowed nervously. "In other words, Living Magic... the specialty of Zeref." He finished ominously as he brought a hand up to adjust his hat.

"Living Magic…" Erza said before her eyes narrowed as her right hand clenched into a fist.

"Hold on." Gray said as he looked over at the Quatro Cerberus Guild Master. "When you say Zeref, do you mean the Dark Mage Zeref?" He demanded as the Blue Pegasus Master put a hand to his cheek and started to sweat nervously.

"Dark Mage Zeref, the most atrocious mage in the history of magic…" Bob said as he looked up at Lullaby. "I never imagined that this adverse legacy from several hundred years ago would appear…" He lamented while the others could only look on in stunned silence.

"**NOW… WHOSE SOUL SHOULD I ENJOY FIRST?" **It rumbled before grinning. **"I'VE DECIDED. ALL OF YOURS!" **It roared as it opened its mouth wide and inhaled deeply.

"No! The Lullaby's going to devour us!" A Guild Master yelled and Lucy screamed in panic.

Makarov right hand clenched as he prepared to fight before freezing as three forms rushed past him.

Erza's body had a momentary glow as she Ex-Equipped her armor to Requip a black armor that also sported some silver trimming in the same step. Easily the most distinctive feature of the armor was a pair of wings, reminiscent of those of a Dragon or bat. Around Erza's neck was a neck guard decorated by several gems and a pair of large shoulder pads, each composed of two silver-edged plates one over the other, sporting silver crosses on them too, and flanking the high collar, whose shape is reminiscent of that of a dress. The silver-edged breastplate revealed a fair amount of her cleavage and belly, with plates flanking her hips and reaching down to a very large waistguard, composed of very long, silver-edged plates shaped like feathers and decorated by silver crosses. The waistguard left the front of Erza's body exposed, with her groin being covered by a dark indument and a pair of slim gauntlets came equipped with prominent protection for her hands, each sporting silver patterns. Her leg greaves were sliver-edged on her thighs and knees, but pitch black dark everywhere else. In the next step of her charge, she brought out her right hand to Requip a sword with an intricate design and a multicolored purple and silver blade accompanied by two red diamond shaped gems, equally spread apart on the sword's blade, and a brown hilt with a golden hand guard. "The Blackwing Armor!" A Guild Master yelled in recognition of the mighty attack armor, which greatly increased a wielder's offensive capability.

Link brought out his left hand to Requip the Gilded Sword and his Golden Gauntlets at the same time. As soon as both mages had their arsenal ready, they veered off to different legs; Link going to its left leg and Erza to its right. Natsu's feral smile came full force as he put on a burst of speed to jump onto the Lullaby's right leg and quickly scrambled up it.

Before it could do anything about the mage climbing up its leg, the Lullaby was treated to a nasty shock as it realized that perhaps it should have taken its potential meals more seriously.

"HAAAA!"

"HYAAA!"

The loud cries of the two swordmasters were quickly echoed by a loud, piercing roar of pain as they cut deeply into the demon's ankles with a single pass. Even as it started to slump down, a red flash caught its attention in time to see Natsu launching up at him with his right leg completely engulfed in fire. "Karyu no Kagitsume!" The Fire Dragon Slayer roared as he delivered a kick that forced the already off balance demon to stumble back several long steps.

"What the... with a single kick he made that huge demon stumble back!" A Guild Master yelled out in shock while another shook her head.

"Is he even a mage?" She wondered out loud as they continued to watch the spectacle in front of them.

"**HOW IMPUDENT!" **The Lullaby suddenly roared as it righted itself. It turned its monstrous head and opened its mouth to fire a volley of energy blasts at the still airborne Natsu.

"Whoops!" Natsu yelled in surprise as he spun in the air to avoid the volley. Right as he dodged them, though, he noticed that they now all flew unimpeded at Gray, Lucy, Happy, Makarov, and the other Guild Masters. "Look out!" He called out in warning before he noticed Gray had already assumed a familiar stance, with his legs spread out a little over shoulder-length apart and his hands held out before him.

"Ice Make…" Gray said as he brought his right fist down on top of his left palm and a cold breeze shot out from him.

"An Ice Alchemy Mage, he's going to try and make a shield!" A Guild Master said in shock even as another started to run away.

"He won't make it in time for this!" He yelled and most of the others broke into a run as well, for how could anyone make something sturdy enough to block a volley of blasts only a couple of seconds away?

"Shield!" Gray yelled as he thrust both hands out in a wide arc and instantaneously a large, semi-circle ice shield appeared before him to easily block the attacks.

"What the- he's fast!" One Guild Master said in wide-eyed awe and several others appeared to be in agreement with her.

"How could he control Alchemy Magic that fast?" Another one asked no one in particular.

Unnoticed by anyone, a wide smile had started to form on Makarov's face as he watched his mages awe the oft-complaining Guild Masters with their prowess.

"Alchemy Magic?" Lucy asked curiously and Happy looked up at her.

"It's a type of magic that gives "shape" to the magic power." He said before looking forward again and grinning. "And takes it away as well." He added and she looked at him stunned silence.

"Ice Make…" Gray said as he brought his hands back up in that same stance before he thrust them both out again. "Lance!" He yelled and several ice lances shot out from his hands and around the ice shield to slam into the Lullaby.

"**GOAH!" **It roared in pain as it stumbled and Natsu swung wildly from its shoulders while Link and Erza, still attacking the Lullaby's legs, nimbly danced around it. "I feel sick…" The Dragon Slayer complained, though his eyes were still narrowed in determination as he climbed up to a standing position.

"W-what destructive power!" Lucy screamed as she brought her hands to her face in shock, a reaction shared almost unanimously by those around her.

"Excellent." Makarov said as he smiled in approval.

"Everyone, let's finish it!" Gray yelled as he prepared another volley and the other three nodded their heads in agreement. "Ice Make: Lance!" The Ice- Make Mage roared as he sent ten ice lances flying at the monster while Link and Erza both jumped up from opposite directions.

In preparation for this final attack, Link decided to Ex-Equip the Gilded Sword and Requipped to his left hand a longsword with a purple grip, blue guard, and a yellow jewel set in its hilt. Knowing the evil nature of this enemy and in complete agreement with the call for a final attack to finish it, Link had brought forth the Blade of Evil's Bane.

The Lullaby's eyes went wide when it felt the holy aura around the Master Sword affect it while Natsu jumped up over the distracted demon and raised both hands up. "Some flame on the left." He said and his left hand erupted with a bright flare. "Some flame on the right…" Natsu continued and the same flare appeared around his right hand. "Together they make…" He said and his smile became a glare of concentration. "Karyu no Koen!" Natsu roared as he came down on the Lullaby's head and slammed both hands together into a double hammerfist.

"HAAA!"

"HYAAA!"

Link and Erza both roared as they slashed across the Lullaby's torso in an X-pattern a mere instant before Gray's lances slammed into it; with the end result all four mages' attacks reaching the demon within moments of each other.

The explosion that followed that combination momentarily blinded everyone watching and several of them grabbed on to loose articles of clothing as the shockwave reached them. When they could see again, everyone watched with wide eyes as the mostly destroyed Lullaby fell backwards to slam into the Guild Master Meeting building, crushing it beneath its weight.

"Zeref's devil was defeated so easily…" One Guild Master murmured in awe and Lucy started to smile brightly.

"I…I'm impressed…" Another Guild Master admitted and Makarov started laughing loudly.

"A-amazing…" Kageyama said with wide eyes as the smoke cleared slightly to show three silhouettes. The smoke quickly started to dissipate to show Link, Erza, and Natsu walking back towards Makarov with an almost-bored air.

"This is Fairy Tail's Strongest Team!" Lucy cheered as she ecstatically put a hand on Gray's shoulder as the others came up to join them.

"What do you think?!" Makarov asked with a broad smile. "Aren't they great?!" He called out with a proud laugh and Lucy clapped her hands together while the Guild Masters' grudgingly nodded their heads.

"You're all the best!" She declared once everyone was together and Natsu shot her a smile that quickly turned into a happy laugh.

"Now… you have to go see the doctor, right?" Bob asked as he suddenly appeared next to the still overwhelmed Kageyama and tickled his chin. The Shadow Mage immediately jerked away from the cross-dressing Guild Master in a mixture of fear and terror, uncertain what to make of him.

"Goodness, I don't really know why this happened. But it looks like we owe Fairy Tail one." A Guild Master said and Makarov just laughed happily as he put his hands behind his head.

"Hyahyahyahyahya! Don't worry about it!" He laughed happily for several seconds before he suddenly froze in shock.

"Hrm?" The Guild Masters said as they looked to see what had gotten Makarov's attention, and he immediately started to sneak off before their eyes went wide in shock.

Link put his palm to his face as everyone else but Natsu looked in shock when they finally noticed the destroyed building. "NUUUAAAAHHHH! THE REGULAR GUILD MEETING HALL... IT DESTROYED!" Most of the Guild Masters yelled in shock as they stared at the rubble.

"Hahaha!" Natsu laughed in amusement. "It's completely wrecked!" He agreed before he was sent flying from a hit to his head from Link to get him to the others. The blonde mage then immediately flashed over to them as he and Erza returned to their normal attire and held up a hand to prevent them from taking off.

"GET THEM!" The Guild Masters yelled before a large green crystal appeared around all the Fairy Tail mages and rose up into the air.

"Wh-what the…?" Lucy said in surprise as she looked around while Link waved farewell to the shocked Guild Masters. The crystal glowed brightly before it suddenly broke into dozens of small green orbs that quickly vanished.

_**Fairy Tail Guild Hall**_

Up on the second floor, the green orb that Link had placed after his return from the Job for Bolan flared into existence. Almost immediately, dozens of green small green orbs appeared below it then quickly came together to show Link, Makarov, Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Happy. The instant the green aura disappeared completely; Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Happy all staggered and slowly went to their knees with sick expressions on their faces. "Fuu… seems those three can't handle your Farore's Wind, Link." Makarov remarked and Link grinned as he gave a small shrug, which made him stumble in exhaustion.

Erza immediately caught and supported him while she gave a small sigh and his ears twitched as he scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Come on Link; let's get you to your house." She said then narrowed her eyes at him. "Where you _will _be resting." She said and Link grinned nervously as he nodded his head quickly. Erza had a satisfied smile at that then the two walked over to the stairs.

"H…hey… Link…" Natsu said dizzily as he stood up before swaying.

"Careful, Natsu." Happy said as he raised a paw up.

"Don't forget… I'm fighting… you first…" He said before he tripped and fell to the ground. Link gave a small wave of his hand and stumbled again with the movement.

"Link! Focus on walking!" Erza scolded and Link gave a tired nod.

Makarov looked at them and sighed before his face tightened. "Get off the second floor this instant!" He roared and they all jumped before they ran for the stairs.

Natsu almost got to the stairs before stopping and looking around. "So this is the second- OOF!" Natsu said before he was slammed in the back by a giant fist from Makarov.

_Kids these days… _He thought with a small sigh before smiling widely and chuckling.

* * *

Sutomo Meiru – Storm Mail

Sutomu Buringa– Storm Bringer

Emara Baram – Rapid Emerald

Karyu no Kagitsume - Fire Dragon's Claw


	7. Link's Trial

Chapter Six

Inside his wooden room, Link slept fitfully on a large bed before his eyes shot open and he sat up quickly, sweat beading on his forehead.

After several seconds he wiped the sweat from his forehead before lightly touching the scar on his torso as it seemed to throb in pain. _That dream again… _Link thought before he abruptly tossed the blanket aside and got out of his bed, clad only in a pair of green shorts.

Link stretched his arms up and yawned before he scratched the back of his head sleepily as he looked around his room.

Rather basic, his room only had a dresser along with his bed with two doors, one leading to the rest of his house and another that opened up to a closet. After several seconds of sleepy scrutiny he gave another yawn before walking over to his dresser.

Twenty-five minutes later, Link was about to walk outside when his door suddenly opened to show Erza. "So you were already awake." Erza said and Link nodded his head.

"Did you think I wouldn't show up on time?" Link asked with a small smile that Erza returned.

"I'm sure Natsu would probably burn up half the forest on his way here if you were." Erza said and Link gave a quiet chuckle before following her out.

Once Link closed the door he turned around and jumped down from the large tree his cabin was situated in to land lightly next to Erza before walking with her towards Magnolia.

An hour later Link and Natsu were facing each other outside of the Fairy Tail building, surrounded by everyone in a large circle. "Wait a minute, doesn't seem this wrong to everybody!" Lucy asked in concern as she looked around with wide eyes; Gray, Erza, and Happy standing beside her.

"Taking all bets here, taking all bets!" Cana said as she stood next to a large board and basket that was already full of money, as well as several barrels that smelled of alcohol. On the board was Link's and Natsu's name, as well as several tick marks indicating the number of people betting for each one.

Lucy sweat dropped before she shook her head. "But if two people from the Strongest Team fight-""Huh?" Gray asked as he looked at her with a confused expression. "What are you talking about?" He asked and Lucy looked at him in shock as Erza looked at her curiously.

"I'm talking about you, Natsu, Erza, and Link-san." Lucy said in exasperation. "You're the four strongest mages in Fairy Tail, right!" She asked and Gray blinked before grinning and shaking his head as Mirajane smiled behind him.

"Don't talk nonsense." Gray said in amusement. "Where did you get such a crazy idea?" He asked before looking back as Mirajane sobbed and he sweat dropped nervously as Elfman glared at him. "Ah… it was you Mira-chan…?" Gray asked as Erza and Lucy both stared at him before Eflman grunted.

"I accept Natsu's and Gray's manliness… but I can't just let you go and say they're the strongest." Elfman said as he looked down at Lucy. "There are guys in Fairy Tail much stronger than them." He said and Lucy looked up at him curiously.

"What about Link-san and Erza?" She asked and he hesitated before looking away.

"Erza is definitely the strongest female." Levi, a young woman with blue, curly hair said with a smile.

"As for the strongest male, Link is definitely up there." Jet, a man wearing a cowboy hat with bright orange hair standing behind her, said. "But there's also Luxus, Mist Gun… and you can't forget about that "Geezer"."

"Are you ready Link?" Natsu asked and Link held up one hand before turning around and walking to the edge of the human circle. "HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!" Natsu demanded before Link stopped and reached into his pouch to pull out several small crystals.

"What is he doing?" Lucy asked as Erza's eyes widened slightly before she smiled.

"Fufufu… It looks like Link is going to be taking this seriously after all." Erza said as Link placed the crystals down in different locations before walking back to stand a few feet away from Natsu.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked somewhat nervously before Link thrust out both gloved hands. "Those crystals are something we found on a job a few years ago." Erza said as the glowed before forming a large blue crystal, fifteen feet in height, around Link and Natsu, making everyone's eyes go wide. "They react to his Nayru's Love, allowing him to activate it and then keep it up indefinitely without any more magic from him." She said before Link's entire outfit shifted from green to red.

"Now what!" Lucy asked in surprise.

"H-hold on there Link, first this and now your Red Tunic!" One of the Guild members said in shock as nervous sweat started forming on almost everyone's forehead. "Don't you think you're taking this too seriously!"

"Red Tunic?" Lucy asked and Erza nodded her head. "With it he can walk in the heart of a volcano and not even break a sweat, the effect of Natsu's flames are going to be severely reduced." Erza said and Lucy's eyes went wide in shock.

"This is going to be an interesting fight." Elfman said as he cracked his neck with a grin and Gray smirked. "That so?" Gray asked curiously as he looked on. "I'm expecting Link to get an overwhelming victory."

Inside the crystal Natsu smirked. "This barrier to protect the Town… and even your Red Tunic…" Natsu said before flames surrounded his hands as he dropped into a ready stance. "NOW I CAN GIVE IT MY ALL WITHOUT REGRET!" Natsu declared and Link gave a small grin before Equipping the Kokiri Sword to his right hand and the Longshot to his left forearm.

Natsu's eyes narrowed while Lucy breathed a sigh of relief as she brought her hand to her chest. "Phew… I was afraid for a second…" Lucy said and Erza looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?" She asked as Link positioned his feet and put his left arm forward while bringing the Kokiri Sword over his head.

"Well those two weapons don't look very destructive." Lucy said and those around her looked at her blankly as Makarov put his hand up while standing on the board. "Ready, GO!" He said as he brought his hand down.

Almost immediately a red aura surrounded the Kokiri Sword. "HYAA!" Link yelled as he slashed down and sent a wave of energy that tore at the ground towards Natsu.

"EHH!" Lucy screamed in surprise as Natsu jumped to the side before launching toward Links.

"DRYAH!" Natsu roared as he punched downwards and Link pivoted on his lead foot before flipping away to land several feet away nimbly. As Link landed he brought his left arm up and shot the Longshot at him.

Natsu ducked down right before it was about to him and Link jerked his arm up before slicing down with it then pulling back and up. The effect was instantaneous as the chain went slack and the movement from Link's arm caused to it to ripple up before slicing down at Natsu.

Natsu narrowly avoided the attack and the hooked blade cracked into the ground, leaving a small hole, before flying back to full retraction into its housing mechanism. "You shouldn't judge things by appearances." Erza said as Natsu flew back in at Link while Lucy's entire body was frozen in shock.

"Karyu no…" Natsu said as he cocked his right fist back and Link's eyes narrowed. He quickly switched the Kokiri Sword to reverse grip as he Equipped his Silver Gauntlets to his hands and brought his right fist back. "TEKKEN!" Natsu roared as he punched forward.

Link adjusted his footing before punching out with his right fist to slam into Natsu's, and both their feet were sent into the stone road a few inches as a small shockwave shot out from the impact.

"It seems Natsu has improved quite a bit." Erza said with a small smile and Lucy slowly turned her head slowly to stare at her. "It takes a lot of power to go head to head with Link's Silver Gauntlets." She said even as Link and Natsu both jumped back.

"Karyu no…" Natsu said as he took a deep breath. "HOUKO!" He roared and a blast of fire shot from his mouth towards Link.

Link took a deep breath before exhaling, sending a stream of fire of his own to collide into Natsu's, both their eyes intense as they glared at each other.

"WHAT THE-!" Lucy screamed in surprise as the two blasts of fire slammed into each other. "He can breathe fire too!"

"It's merely a modified use of a spell called Din's Fire." Erza said as everyone watched with wide eyes. "Is there a scenario that Link-san isn't prepared for?" Lucy asked and Erza brought a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "Cooking." Erza said after several seconds of contemplation and Lucy sweat-dropped as Natsu's eyes suddenly gleamed.

Link looked at him curiously before Natsu suddenly stopped breathing fire, allowing Din's Fire to rush in at him unimpeded. Link immediately stopped the fire even as Natsu opened his mouth greedily to allow it to flow in and down his throat, a look of relish on his face.

"Unbelievable…" Gray said as Natsu closed his mouth and wiped his mouth. "That moron actually came up with a damn decent idea." He said as fire erupted from Natsu's body.

"Thanks for the food." Natsu said as Link brought the Kokiri Sword up before him, still held in reverse grip, and a red aura immediately surrounded it. "KARYUU NO KENKAKU!" Natsu roared as he launched forward at Link.

Link suddenly Equipped a bomb to his left hand and tossed it towards Natsu while jumping to the side. Natsu's eyes went wide as he brought his feet down, his momentum still sending him towards the bomb, before being sent flying back as the bomb exploded.

Link immediately leapt into the air and towards Natsu, his right arm cocked and ready to slash down. Natsu gritted his teeth as he looked up at Link before slamming his feet into the ground, skidding back several feet, before launching up at Link with a roar, his right fist cocked back before fire erupted from it.

"KARYUU NO TEKKEN!" Natsu roared as he punched up at Link while Link slashed down with the Kokiri Sword, still held in reverse grip.

The resulting explosion shook the ground below them as the red aura exploded out against Natsu's flame, Natsu's and Link's eyes intense as they stared at each other. They both held even before Natsu suddenly smirked. "Karyuu no…" Natsu said and fire exploded from his elbow. "ENCHU!" Natsu roared and Link's eyes widened slightly as Natsu forced him back.

Link suddenly stopped resisting while turning, letting Natsu blow past him before slamming a boot suddenly encased in iron into his stomach. Natsu coughed as he was sent slamming into the top of the crystal as Link's Iron Boot returned back to his normal boot and he Ex-Equipped the Kokiri Sword while pointing his left arm up at Natsu.

Natsu pushed off the crystal barrier before the hooked blade sunk into him and landed on the ground. "KARYUU NO KENKAKU!" Natsu roared as fire erupted from his body once more and he dashed forward at Link.

Link looked over to his right in surprise as the Longshot started to return to its housing and at the last second Link brought his right hand up as his boots became encased in iron once more.

Natsu's head slammed into Link's hand and Link's eyes narrowed as was pushed back, his Iron Boots tearing up the ground.

"See?" Elfman said as Link finally stopped moving. "It's a good match, right?" Elfman asked and Gray grunted. "Where?" Gray asked as the hooked blade completely returned to its housing and Link offered Natsu a small grin before returning his boots to normal.

The second they returned to normal he tightened his grip on Natsu's hair before spinning at high speed to steal Natsu's momentum before throwing him into the air once more.

Natsu spun in the air to plant his feet on the barrier as Link Equipped his Fairy Bow to his left hand took aim with an arrow in his right hand before letting it loose. Natsu quickly jumped to the left to avoid before launching in at Link with a flame empowered punch.

Link pivoted on right foot and spun to avoid the punch before jumping up to kick off of Natsu's back while another arrow appeared in his hand.

"Karyuu no…" Natsu said before taking a deep breath as he started to turn around and a blue, cold aura appeared around the arrowhead. "HOUKO!" Natsu roared as he sent a blast of fire at Link at the same time Link let loose the Ice Arrow.

The Ice Arrow slammed into the fire and two held even against each other for several seconds before the cold aura began to disappear, allowing the stream of fire to overpower it.

Link Equipped three more arrows and shot them out a second later, all of them surrounded by the cold aura, before disappearing in a green flash and appearing over Natsu while aiming down with three more Ice Arrows already in place.

Natsu looked up before doing a jumping spin to the right as soon as Link loosed the Ice Arrows before he disappeared again. As soon as Natsu landed Link appeared behind him with one Ice Arrow notched and ready while the ground where the three Ice Arrows had struck turned to solid ice.

Natsu growled as he spun while ducking down to all fours, narrowly avoiding the Ice Arrow when it suddenly exploded in an eruption of cold wind. Natsu shivered as the intense cold affected him even through his flames before exploding forward.

Link suddenly Ex-Equipped the Fairy Bow while he kept his left arm pointed at Natsu and the Longshot once more shot out at Natsu. Natsu reflexively leaned back while ducking low and the hooked blade and chain flew over his face be a few inches.

As Natsu continued to slide the chain suddenly disappeared and he looked up in surprise before his went wide when he saw Link launching towards him with the Kokiri Sword in his hand.

Natsu quickly forced himself upright to meet Link's charge before Link suddenly pivoted on his right foot and spun in the air towards him, Ex-Equipping his Kokiri Sword and Equipping two broad scimitars.

"He keeps changing weapons!" Lucy said in shock as Natsu was forced to jump to the side to avoid the whirling blades.

"That's Link's fighting style." Erza said as Link landed on one foot lightly before turning around while ducking down to avoid a fiery punch from Natsu. "He has mastered almost every weapon and utilizes a magic he was taught five years ago by a foreign mage who witnessed him fight close to fifty knights by himself, constantly changing weapons he would pull out of his pouch to change styles and thus throwing the knights off guard." Erza said and Lucy stared at her before looking back as Link forced Natsu back, continuously dodging against Link's whirring scimitars.

"The magic he was taught is similar to my magic, The Knight." Erza continued on while Link suddenly jumped over Natsu while spinning, his scimitars a continuous blurring movement. "Unlike my magic, however, it only focuses on weapons, even storing a large amount of arrows and bombs to be Equipped for quick use." She said as Natsu spun while dropping to his back.

"KARYUU NO HOUKO!" Natsu roared and Link flashed, allowing the stream of fire to slam into the top of the crystal barrier, before reappearing five feet away from Natsu.

"The name of his magic is where he got his nickname." Erza said as Link jumped at Natsu with a downward slash with his left scimitar and Natsu stopped breathing fire to roll away from the slash even as Link brought his right scimitar to bear before suddenly Ex-Equipping it. "The Maharathi." She said as he Equipped his Biggoron to his right hand while he slashed down and Natsu's eyes widened slightly before he reversed the direction of his roll back towards Link.

"KARYUU NO KAGITSUME!" Natsu roared as fire exploded from his right foot while he kicked out at Link.

Link brought his scimitar up to block even as he pulled the Biggoron Sword back in and Natsu's kick slammed into his scimitar, sending him skidding back for a few feet, before he Ex-Equipped his Biggoron Sword to Re-Equip his other scimitar. Natsu quickly back-flipped back to land on his feet as he glared at Link.

"Come on Link, pull out your sword and shield!" Natsu demanded and Link didn't move for several seconds before launching forward as the scimitars were surrounded in a red aura. Natsu's face tightened when Link suddenly stopped and pivoted on his lead foot and spun as he Equipped the Longshot to his left forearm and the hooked blade shot out as he spun, going around in a wide circle that whipped out at a surprised Natsu.

Natsu barely moved back in time, still getting a small line across his chest, before bringing both hands up as the hooked blade returned to its housing. "A little flame on the right…" Natsu said as the fire on his right hand suddenly doubled in size. "A little flame on the left…" Natsu said as the fire on left hand doubled in size. "Together they make-""HYAAAA!" Link roared before Natsu could finish and the red aura surrounding the scimitars shot out in a wave of destruction.

Natsu's eyes widened before he was slammed against the crystal once more and grunted in pain as the red wave continued to press him against it. "NATSU!" Lucy screamed in alarm and Natsu gritted his teeth before roaring. "KARYUU… NO…" Natsu roared and Link's eyes widened in surprise as the red wave dissipated, its energy spent.

"KOEN!" Natsu roared as he brought both hands down, his palms extended towards Link, and shot a giant fireball that reached Link in a second.

By this point everyone was pressed against the crystal barrier or using their magic in some way to be over it to get a bird's eye view. Everyone's reaction was the same as their eyes went wide in surprise, Erza's eyes widening slightly, as Natsu stared into heart of the raging fire.

"Did Natsu… win?" Elfman asked in surprise before the fires suddenly spun around in a rapid circle then dissipated as several blue crystal shards shot out in a circle. Natsu's eyes widened before he ducked down quickly; narrowly avoiding three that would have slammed into his stomach.

Natsu looked at Link as he stood there with no weapons, his Silver Gauntlets Ex-Equipped, before he suddenly flashed to the far side of the crystal barrier. "Prepare yourself." Link said as he held his right hand and Natsu grinned as Link Equipped his Hylian Shield and Gilded Sword.

Link positioned his feet, putting his shield out in front of him while putting his sword back, before he Equipped his Golden Gauntlets. "NOW I'M FIRED UP!" Natsu roared in excitement as flames exploded off him while Gray and Erza looked on in surprise.

"This isn't good, that idiot might just get himself killed against that much power." Gray said as a red aura surrounded Link's Gilded Sword.

"Eh!" Lucy said in surprise and Erza nodded her head as Natsu crouched down. "Link's Silver Gauntlets increase his strength roughly four-fold." Erza explained as Link and Natsu locked stares. "His Golden Gauntlets, though, increase his strength ten-fold." Erza said and everyone's eyes popped wide in shock as Link and Natsu charged each other.

"GUREN…" Natsu roared as he cocked one fist back and Link tightened his grip on his sword as he prepared to slash. "KARYUU-" Natsu started to roar before a sudden clap threw them both by surprise and they both stopped just a few feet from impact as the entire Guild looked over from where the clap had come from to see a man-sized bipedal amphibian dressed in official clothes.

"That's enough." It said as it continued to walk forward and everyone moved out of its way uncertainly. "I am a Messenger from the Council." It said and everyone leaned back slightly in shock but Erza as Link's eyes narrowed slightly.

The Messenger reached into its black jacket and pulled out a scroll then unfurled it before clearing its throat. "With charges of damaging property, and eleven other crimes from the Eisenwald Terrorism Incident the other day, Link Kokiri is now under arrest." The Messenger said and everyone's eyes shot open in shock before Natsu charged the barrier. "WHAAT!" Natsu demanded as Link looked at the Messenger with steady eyes before Ex-Equipping all of his equipment while his tunic shifted from red to green.

"Erza, no!" Makarov ordered as she started to take a step forward and she stopped before gritting her teeth as Link dismissed Nayru's Love before going to pick up the crystals.

"This isn't right, we didn't-""Silence girl." The Messenger said as it looked at Lucy and she flinched before moving back. "LISTEN YOU-HEY!" Natsu started to roar before he was suddenly encased in a blue crystal.

"LET ME OUT LINK! THIS ISN'T RIGHT AND YOU KNOW IT!" Natsu roared as Link finished picking up the last crystal. "LIIINK!" Natsu roared when Link didn't reply but instead immediately walked towards the Messenger.

Link stopped when he was in front of the Messenger and looked down at him with a nod. Instead of turning around it immediately pulled a pair of large cuffs from its jacket. "These will prevent you from using your magic." It said and Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously as her hands tightened into fists.

Link looked at the cuffs for several seconds before nodding his head in agreement and held his hands out calmly to accept them. "Very well, let us depart." It said and Link nodded before walking on ahead, his right hand loosening his pouch strings slightly to pull something out then re-tightened them before anyone could notice.

Several hours later everyone was sitting in the Guild Hall in silence, no one showing the usual cheer and bustle of the place.

Almost everyone was silent.

"LET ME OUT!" A small lizard trapped in a glass yelled angrily as it beat against its prison. No one reacted to the yelling, Mirajane looking steadily ahead while Erza sat at the bar quietly.

"I SAID LET ME OUT!" The lizard roared again and Mirajane looked down. "Natsu… be quiet." She said but the lizard continued to bang its hands against the glass.

"LEMME OOOOUT!" Natsu the lizard roared again and Mirajane sighed. "You'll act reckless." She said and Natsu shook his scaled head vehemently. "NO I WON'T!" He yelled before motioning to his body. "AT LEAST LET ME GET MY FORM BACK!" He demanded and Mirajane brought her face down level with Natsu.

"Then you'll go and try to rescue Link, won't you?" She asked and Erza's right hand tightened slightly. "I WON'T! WHO CARES ABOUT HIM!" Natsu demanded and Erza's eyes tightened.

"Our opponent is the Council…" Gray said as he leaned back against a table. "There's nothing we can do for now." He said and Erza looked over at Makarov as he sat on the bar with his arms crossed, his face showing no emotion.

"Master, why did you stop me?" Erza asked and Makarov lifted his head slightly to look at her. "Link would've-""Link is a foolish mage, almost as foolish as Natsu." Makarov said and Erza's hand slammed into the bar, splintering it and getting the attention of everyone in the room.

Makarov locked stares with her before sighing and pulling out a pipe from his jacket. "The Council is a force we as a Guild cannot fight, Erza." Makarov said as he packed some tobacco into the pipe. "Link, however, has never cared about things such as, "forces that cannot be fought", and so yes, in the end I would have most likely had to have restrained him to prevent him from doing something stupid." He said as he magically lit the tobacco and Erza's eyes tightened. "What we need to do now is wait." Makarov said and after several seconds Erza looked away from Makarov again. _Or a few words from you would have been enough to calm him. _Makarov thought as he looked forward again, inhaling deeply on his pipe. _If only you knew the power you have over that young man. _He thought before a small twinkle came to his eye. _And vise-versa. _

"LEMME OOOU-GURK!" Natsu started to roar before slamming against the other side of the glass as Erza turned her glare on him, effectively silencing him.

"There's something fishy going on." Lucy said as her head rested against a table. "I'm certain of it."

_The Council Headquarters… _Link thought as he looked up at the large building, pausing short of the large double doors. "The Council is waiting." The Messenger said and Link blinked before nodding his head as two Rune Knights opened the door.

_If I'm wrong, getting out of here will be difficult. _Link thought as he looked around carefully, noting the Rune Knights that walked around as well as various other mages. "Through here." The Messenger said and Link nodded his head as they stopped in front of another set of large double doors.

The Messenger clapped his hands twice and the doors slowly opened to reveal a large room where the Mage's Council sat on several large seats. Link's eyes narrowed slightly as he walked up to the witness stand.

"Defendant Link Kokiri…" The Messenger said after he had walked up to a small desk and picked up some papers. "Please take the witness stand." It said and Link looked at the stand before stepping into it.

"I CAN'T STAND THIS!" Lucy suddenly screamed as she stood up and slammed her hands against the table. "LET'S GO TESTIFY FOR HIM!" She yelled and Makarov sighed, exhaling a plume of smoke.

"LET… ME… OUUUUT!" Natsu suddenly roared and Erza once again snapped a glare over at him.

"Are you sure you want out?" Makarov suddenly asked and Natsu froze in surprise before nervously scratching his chin, making everyone look at him curiously. "What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Makarov asked with a grin before suddenly thrusting his right hand out. "KAH!" He yelled and Natsu twitched wildly as he was sent flying, the glass going flying in another direction.

When he landed he was surrounded by a large cloud of smoke. When it cleared, rather than Natsu, Macau was shown lying on the ground and rubbing his head.

"MACAU!" Levi screamed in surprise as everyone looked on with wide eyes.

"S-sorry…" He said with a nervous grin. "But I was indebted to Natsu." Macau explained before looking over as Erza slowly stood up.

"Where did Natsu go?" Erza asked slowly and Macau slowly stood up as he looked at her somewhat nervously. "Don't tell he went after Link!" Gray yelled and he nodded his head.

"Knowing him… probably." He said as he rubbed the back of his head. "THIS IS NO JOKE!" Elfman roared as he looked down at Macau before everyone went quiet as Erza slammed a foot through the floor.

"Everyone calm down." Makarov said and everyone looked back at him. "Let's just wait for the outcome."

"Defendant Link Kokiri." A large mage sitting over the other mages of the Council said as he looked down at Link, Link meeting his gaze calmly. "Concerning the Terrorism Incident with Eisenwald the other day… you are suspected of destroying part of Oshibana Station, Ryushika Canyon's Railway Bridge, and an entire mansion in Clover." He said before looking down at his papers.

Link's ears suddenly twitched and his eyes widened before they closed as he let out a quiet sigh. "According to witness' testimony… the culprit is a male mage wearing a green tunic and-" The mage was suddenly cut off as the doors exploded.

"I'M THE ONE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR!" Natsu roared in a poorly transformed version of Link as he rampaged up to the witness stand. "ARREST ME IF YOU CAN!" He roared before two clicking sounds echoed throughout the court room.

Everyone looked at Link in surprise as he tossed the cuffs to the side before looking at Natsu with an exasperated expression even as he held his right hand up. "LINK, WHAT AR- I MEAN I'M LINK!" Natsu yelled before he was surrounded in a green crystal. "HEY-!" Natsu started to roar before the crystal suddenly shattered into dozens of small orbs that flew off.

"My apologies for that intrusion." Link said as he looked back at the shocked Council.

"HOW DID YOU GET THOSE CUFFS OFF!" The Messenger demanded and Link looked at him steadily for several seconds before looking back up at the Council.

"Tell me… is there a need to go through this entire process?" Link asked as he looked up at them and they quickly snapped out of their shock. "I'm not here to be put on trial. I'm merely a… scapegoat." He said and they all looked at him in surprise.

"I'm sure your competency was brought into question after the Lullaby was stolen… and with all the destruction that ensued you all needed someone that could take the blame." Link said and all but a blue-haired young man and black-haired young woman's faces tightened.

Quite the opposite, they actually both laughed in amusement. "And here you were even never given any hints." The blue-haired man said and Link's eyes narrowed as he looked at him. _Sieglin… _Link thought as he recalled the first time he had met the man.

"_JELLAL!" A fifteen year old Erza screamed as she charged at a young man with blue hair and Link barely grabbed her in time. "LET ME GO, LINK!" Erza demanded as Link Equipped his Silver Gauntlets to his hands, his muscles straining as he struggled to keep hold of her. _

"_Erza, this is not the place to fight!" Makarov said firmly but Erza continued to struggle against Link to get to the young man. "I'm sorry… did you call me Jellal?" He asked and Erza froze in surprise as she continued to glare at him. "My name is Sieglin… Jellal is my younger brother." He said and Erza's eyes widened as Link looked at Erza curiously._

"_I see… my apologies…" Erza said after close to a minute and Link slowly let Erza go._

_Once they left the Council Headquarters, Link looked at Erza curiously but all she did was look determinedly ahead. "Erza-""I don't want to talk about it, Link." She said and Link blinked in surprise before nodding his head. _

_His eyes… _Link thought as he looked into Sieglin's eyes. _It's buried… but even now they have the same look… _He thought and his eyes narrowed even more as the face of Ganondorf flashed through his mind.

"It seems the stories of your keen mind are true, Maharathi." Sieglin said and Link blinked before returning his gaze to the large mage.

"Link Kokiri… how did you manage to come to this conclusion… and how did you free yourself from those cuffs when they are supposed to prevent any use of magic?" The mage asked and Link continued to look at him before giving a quiet sigh.

"That is how you all operate, more concerned for your gained seats before anything else. It's easy to figure out the reason behind something once you understand the priorities of the people who make the decision." Link explained simply and Sieglin's grin widened slightly as the other Council members looked at him angrily, with the exception of a short, elderly man with a three-pointed hat. "As for how I got out of the cuffs… perhaps they were defective." Link said as he replaced the pick back into his pouch, his movements hidden underneath the witness stand.

The large mage looked at him with narrowed eyes before bringing his right hand to his eyes. "How do you plead?"

"Guilty." Link said immediately and the mage banged his gavel before shooing Link away and Link bowed slightly towards him before turning around and walking out. _You're right Erza. _Link thought as he walked out of the courtyard, the look in Sieglin's eyes once more flashing through his mind. _That man Sieglin… he's evil… _Link thought and though his hand twitched he kept walking forward.

* * *

Karyuu no Kenkaku – Fire Dragon's Sword Edge

Karyuu no Koen – Fire Dragon's Gleaming Flame

Karyuu no Kagitsume – Fire Dragon's Claw

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	8. Never Give Link Alcohol

Chapter Seven

Everyone in Fairy Tail looked over as the doors opened before cheering when they saw Link walk in, making him stop. "You're back!" Lucy said happily as she ran up to him and he gave a small grin and a nod of his head.

"What happened?" Erza asked as she walked up while dragging a tied up and gagged Natsu. Link paused as he looked at Natsu then Erza before shaking his head.

"You mean the arrest was just a formality?" Lucy asked a minute later in surprise as she, Erza, Gray, and Link sat at the bar while Natsu wriggled around on the ground, still tied up, and Link nodded his head as Mirajane put a glass of milk in front of him. "So I was worried for nothing…" Lucy said with a sigh as her head dropped to the bar and Link offered a small grin before grabbing his milk.

"I'm glad." Erza said with a small smile and Link looked at her with his grin before raising his glass slightly then drinking from it.

"But what about yours and Natsu's fight?" Gray asked and Link froze as Natsu's eyes suddenly widened before fire erupted from, freeing him from the ropes.

"THAT'S RIGHT, LINK!" Natsu roared as he stood up and Lucy looked at him in shock.

"Why didn't you just do that earlier?" Lucy asked and Natsu blinked before slamming his palm against his forehead.

"Never mind that; let's finish our fight, Link!" Natsu declared and Link glanced back at him before holding his glass that was still half-full of milk. A second later it was destroyed, making everyone's eyes go wide before Gray and Lucy scattered as Link's hand trembled slightly while Erza calmly stayed sitting to drink the rest of her milk. "Mira, can I have a beer please?" Erza asked when she was done and Mirajane nodded her head with a smile.

"HERE I COME!" Natsu roared as he charged forward at the still unmoving Link.

Link suddenly spun on the bar stool while Equipping his Silver Gauntlets to punch Natsu square in the face, sending him flying back through several tables and partially into the wall. Link blinked before looking back at Mirajane, who was already looking at him with her hands on her hips, and quickly pointed at the unconscious Natsu.

After several seconds Link was sweating nervously before Mirajane sighed then smiled brightly. "I'll have to make sure to let Natsu know he needs to pay for repairs when he wakes up." Mirajane said and Link sighed in relief then Ex-Equipped his Silver Gauntlets as another serving girl came up with another glass of milk and set it in front of him, getting a nod of appreciation from him as Lucy and Gray got back to their seats.

"What an idiot." Gray said with a smirk as Link drank his milk. "Just cause he had a good day yesterday he thinks he can go and push his luck." He said before taking a drink of his beer.

"Link-san?" Lucy asked when Link put his glass down and he wobbled slightly. "Are you okay?" She asked and Erza and Gray looked over before their eyes shot open when they saw the rosy tint to his cheeks as he swayed on his chair.

"Not good!" Gray said as he quickly moved back as Erza grabbed Link's glass. When she sniffed it her eyes went wide before turning around to everybody else. "Everyone, Link just had some alcohol!" She said and the eyes of the veterans of Fairy Tail went wide before they quickly and quietly moved away from the bar while Makarov stood up.

"Is… is that bad?" Lucy asked nervously as she moved back to join Gray, Happy hiding behind her back. "As long as we stay quiet… no." Gray whispered as Link suddenly collapsed backwards off of his stool on to the ground with a thud, and a few seconds later a loud snoring issued from him.

"But he just-""Shhhh!" Gray snapped as Erza looked over and put her finger to her lips to signal silence before carefully crouching down to grab his arm as Mirajane walked around to help. "This happened once before, and we've been careful to try and make sure it never happened again." Gray said and Lucy looked over at him as Makarov raised right hand up.

_"Come on, Link!" A twelve year old Cana said as she, Link, Erza, Natsu, Happy, and Gray sat at a table with a cake on it. "You can at least have one drink on your birthday!" Cana said but Link shook his head._

"I bet I can drink more than you can!" Natsu declared but Erza shook her head.

"Link's right, we're still too young to be drinking." Erza said and Happy raised his small paw into the air. "Aye." He said in a squeaky voice and Natsu looked up at him in annoyance before looking at Erza.

"We're doing the same work as the adults; we can have one drink to celebrate Link's birthday!" Natsu said and Erza hesitated for a few seconds before sighing.

"Very well, but only for today." Erza said and Natsu cheered as Link looked at her uncertainly while Cana poured everyone, with the exception of Happy, a glass and passed them around.

"KAMPAI!" Natsu roared as he raised his glass in the air and everyone followed suit. "KAMPAI!" Everyone yelled before downing their drink.

As soon as Link put down his drink he wobbled in his stool slightly and everyone looked at him in surprise before he fell off his stool on to his back with a loud crash and started snoring.

"Link?" Erza said in surprise as Natsu and Gray started laughing before their attention was caught by another person's laughter.

Everyone looked over to see Mirajane laughing in amusement at the passed out Link and Erza's eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that all Link could handle? How pathetic!" Mirajane declared with a smirk and Link's ears twitched a couple of times.

"How have you been completing those jobs when he can't even handle one drink?" She asked as she locked eyes with Erza and Erza slowly stood up.

"Shaddup, damnit." Link suddenly said and everyone froze in surprise before looking down to see Link blinking his eyes slowly. "Can't a *hic* guy get some sleep around here?" He demanded in a drunken slur before trying to on to his side, the Hylian Shield preventing him.

Mirajane burst into laughter at his attempts to get up, making him wince slightly before he was able to roll on to his side as Erza knelt beside him. "Are you okay?" Erza asked as Link slowly got up to his feet but he ignored her as he started stumbling towards Mirajane.

"I said shaddup; what ye *hic* deaf or somefing?" He asked and everyone looked at each uncertainly as Mirajane's eyes slowly narrowed as she looked at Link before smirking as she put one hand on her hip. "Is this really Link?" One of the members asked in confusion.

"What are you going to do if I don't?" She asked as Link swayed on his feet.

"Ima *hic* Ima *hic* Ima gonna put thish foot." Link said as he pointed at his right boot. "Into thou mouth to shut ye up." He said and Mirajane started laughing before she was sent flying as Link jumped up and kicked her square in the mouth, sending her slamming into a wall.

"L… Link!" Erza said in wide-eyed surprise as everyone else's draw dropped before a loud crashing sound was heard as a table came flying at Link.

Link blinked before a blue crystal formed around him and the table shattered against it as Mirajane came flying in at him in Demon Form. Link's eyes widened slightly as he rolled to the side before readying his shield and Kokiri Sword as Nayru's Love disappeared.

"So, ye were a Li *hic* a Liz *hic* a Lizalfo in disguise were ye?" Link asked as Mirajane turned around with a snarl on her face and he blinked before he scratched his head curiously as he swayed. "Ye be different from other ones though." He said before avoiding another pass from Mirajane.

"Mira-nee, stop this!" Lisanna said in alarm as Link's eyes narrowed and he twirled his sword.

"Must *hic* be a egg-layer… well ye will *hic* meet the same fate as thou kin!" Link declared before launching forward at Mirajane.

"TAKE –OOF!" Mirajane started to scream before Erza tackled her right before Link was about to slash down. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" Mirajane demanded and Erza glared at before looking over as Link stumbled slightly when he landed.

"Link was about to kill you." Erza said and everyone looked at her in shock.

"H-hold on there Erza…" Natsu said as he put one hand up while Link turned around to look back in drunken surprise. "Link wouldn't kill someone from-""I know that!" Erza snapped as she and Mirajane stood up.

"So ye *hic* come in pairs too, eh?" Link asked as he brought his shield up defensively. "Too bad for ye that I'm already used *hic* to this tactic." Link said and everyone looked at each other in confusion.

"He must be hallucinating, so whatever he called us he actually thinks we are." Erza said before she drew her short saber. "And whatever a Lizalfo is, they've apparently tried to kill him multiple times." Erza said as Link began walking slowly up to them.

"Well what the hell is a Lizalfo?" Mirajane demanded but Erza shook her head.

"I don't know, but we'll have to knock him out and hopefully he'll sleep this off." Erza said and Mirajane looked at her in shock. "Me, work with you?" She demanded as Natsu jumped from his chair and charged Link with a feral smile.

"I'LL KNOCK HIM OUT IN ONE –GURK!" Natsu started to roar before Link spun to slam his shield into Natsu's face before spinning around again to bring his sword to bear.

"NATSU!" Lisanna screamed in alarm as Gray slammed his fist against his open palm. "Ice Make: Lance!" Gray yelled and two ice lances shot out from his hand at Link, making him jump back to avoid them.

"More and *hic* more enemies… well that's not new to me!" Link roared as he charged at Gray before stopping and putting his shield and sword up, his shield blocking a downward tail swipe from Mirajane while his sword blocked Erza's saber.

"*hic*" Was all that came from Link's mouth as a blue aura surrounded his sword while Mirajane looked at him in surprise for holding off both of their attacks.

"Mira, get back!" Erza yelled even as she jumped back and Mirajane flapped her wings to get into the air.

"HYAAA!" Link roared as he spun, sending out a circular wave of destruction that tore the wooden floor around and sent a couple tables flying.

"How the hell did he hold the two us off?" Mirajane demanded as she spun in the air to right herself. "It's the bracelet!" Erza responded before parrying a slash from Link. "You mean it's not just jewelry?" Mirajane asked as Link hesitated in confusion when he saw Erza.

"Ye look familiar…" Link said as he narrowed his eyes in concentration before they widened again as Erza smiled slightly. "No! Just another illu *hic*!" Link yelled before kicking her in the stomach to send her skidding back, making her wince slightly even through her armor.

"No, it's a magical bracelet that actually doubles his normal strength." Erza said before parrying a stab from Link right as Mirajane came flying in at him high speeds. Link quickly jumped into air and spun, wobbling slightly in the air, before Elfman jumped into the air behind him.

"Sorry about this Link, but no one hurts Nee-chan!" Elfman said as he flexed arm and the blue sleeve burst as his arm doubled in size and turned black. "Kokugyuu!" Elfman yelled as he prepared to punch Link.

Link's eyes fixed on Elfman as he continued to spin before giving a powerful kick to Elfman's face, sending him slamming to the ground.

"ELF-NII!""ELFMAN!" Lisanna and Mirajane screamed in alarm, Mirajane more in rage than alarm, and Link's ears twitched as he landed with a small stumble even as Mirajane came flying in at him at high speeds.

Suddenly a large fist slammed down into Link, sending him to the ground, and Mirajane's eyes went wide before flaring her wings to stop her forward charge as everyone else looked at the door in surprise to see Makarov there with a serious expression on his face. "Somehow that didn't have the same feel as the usual fights you kids have." Makarov asked as he slowly raised his fist to show Link in a five foot hole, snoring contently.

"Now what's-""SHHHH!" Everyone in the Guild lobby said at the same time as Makarov began asking his question and he blinked in surprise as Mirajane slowly reverted back to normal.

"After he recovers I'm going to teach a little lesson." Mirajane whispered as she went to go check on the woozy Elfman.

Lucy was sweating nervously as Erza and Mirajane carefully stood up with Link.

"Not now…" Makarov suddenly said as his eyes drooped slightly and a few seconds later everyone collapsed. "Mist Gun." Makarov said as the doors to Fairy Tail slowly opened and a figure hidden under layers of clothing, a bandanna over his head and another covering his face, slowly walked in with a staff held horizontally in his hands.

Mist Gun calmly walked over to the Guild Board as Makarov sighed and lowered his hand before looking down at the unconscious Link, Mirajane, and Erza and giving an evil grin.

Several seconds later Mist Gun walked over to the bar before pausing as he looked at Makarov taking two pictures of Link, lying on his back, with Mirajane and Erza still passed out on either side of him, their faces close to his. "Mist Gun, leave your sleep magic active on Link when you leave." Makarov said as he put away the camera and Mist Gun nodded as he walked up and put his chosen job on the bar counter before walking out, fading into mist as soon as he walked out the doors as they slowly closed.

As soon as the doors closed everyone's eyes but Link's and Natsu's shot open. "Damnit… this feeling… did Mist Gun show up!" Droy demanded as he rubbed his eyes as Erza and Mirajane both quickly sat up and moved back with blushes on their face before they both looked at Makarov. "THAT PUNK!" Jet yelled in annoyance.

"You three fell that way." Makarov said calmly with a small twinkle before jumping down from the bar. "But we shouldn't have to worry about Link waking up now, I told Mist Gun to keep his sleep magic active on him." Makarov said when they continued to glare slightly at him and Erza looked back down at Link. "Now come on, let's hurry and get him to the medical room so he can sleep this off." He said and Erza and Mirajane both nodded their heads.

"LUXUS!" Natsu suddenly roared and everyone froze to see Natsu glaring up at the second floor where a tall man with blonde hair and spiked headphones on smirked down at everyone. "FIGHT ME!" He roared and Luxus grinned around his large cigar as Link's ears twitched twice, unnoticed by everyone as they looked at Natsu in surprise.

"Natsu, you just got beaten by Li-!" A Guild member started to say before freezing, a common reaction shared by everyone as they remembered what had happened before Mist Gun had shown up.

"COME ON DOWN HE-!" Natsu started to roar before a small hooked blade slammed into his side and he followed the chain attached to it back to a swaying Link; Makarov, Mirajane, and Erza looking up at him in surprise as everyone quickly moved back.

"Damnit, did Natsu's yelling get through Mist Gun's sleep magic?" Makarov thought out loud in surprise as Natsu's eyes went wide when he saw the rosy tint to Link's cheeks and the way he was swaying.

"Annoyin *hic* bastard." Link said before the Longshot reeled the surprised Natsu in as he cocked his fist back and Equipped his Golden Gauntlets. "SHADDUP!" Link roared as he delivered a devastating uppercut to Natsu square in the chin, sending him flying off the hooked blade and through the roof of Fairy Tail.

"HAHAHAHA!" Luxus laughed in amusement as he looked at the hole in the roof. "That should teach that little punk a lesson!"

"Luxus…" Levi said and he looked down before his smile became more feral.

"Oh?" Luxus said as Link was glaring up at him drunkenly as he swayed. "You've got a problem with me talking too, Link?"

"*hic*" Was all that came from Link's mouth as he Equipped a large metal ball with a long chain attached to it and Luxus slowly stood up, his cape flowing out with the movement.

"Luxus-!""Calm down old man. After all, you guys need someone to knock him out anyways, right?" Luxus asked as cracked his neck while he kept his eyes locked with Link's. Link suddenly jumped forward and started spinning the ball and chain as if it were nothing before throwing it out at Luxus.

_

Kokugyuu – Iron Bull

_

Drunk Link vs. Luxus… I wonder, would this be considered being cruel to Link, or Luxus?

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	9. Drunken Assualt

Chapter Eight

Luxus quickly moved to the side to dodge the metal ball before reaching out to place his palm against the chain. "Too easy." Luxus said with a cocky grin as he sent a powerful surge of electricity through the chain when there was a green flash next to him as Link appeared on the rail a couple of feet to his left.

"That could *hic* hurt someone ye Bari wannabe." Link said as he glanced over at a surprised Luxus before pivoting to launch a punch at Luxus's face.

Luxus disappeared in a burst of electricity as the metal ball slammed into the wall behind him, sending a discharge of electricity that all but destroyed it, and Luxus appeared beside Link on the railing as Link grabbed hold of the chain and pulled back on the metal as he jumped into the air to avoid a blast of lightning from Luxus.

"Well... they could never do *hic* that." Link said as he landed on the rail and swayed slightly as he twirled the ball and chain, Luxus now glaring at him. "Wait a *hic* moment…" Link said as his eyes narrowed slightly before looking at the ball and chain. "What am I doin?" He asked as he Ex-Equipped the ball and chain, making everyone look at him in surprise, before he Equipped two, two and a half foot long boomerangs.

"There we go." Link said as he brought both boomerangs up like he would with his scimitars and Luxus blinked before grinning as lightning crackled from his body.

"You're really going to fight me with those twigs?" Luxus asked and Link swayed slightly on the railing before running towards him. "Who are you, Natsu?" Luxus demanded before thrusting one hand out to send another blast of lightning at him.

"*hic* Who?" Link asked as he jumped into the air and spun then threw one of the boomerangs. "Don't play with me!" Luxus yelled as he swept one arm out to send a wave of lightning to deflect the boomerang.

Link disappeared in a green flash to appear behind Luxus and slashed at his back with the other boomerang while holding his free hand up. "I haven't played *hic* since I left Kokiri Village." Link said as Luxus's cape fell to the ground as a long but shallow cut appeared on Luxus's back.

Luxus's eyes widened slightly before he turned around with a furious glare. "YOU SON OF A-!" "LUXUS, BEHIND YOU!" Makarov yelled as Link swept his free hand in towards his body as if pulling something and the other boomerang came flying in at Luxus from behind.

Luxus disappeared in a burst of electricity before reappearing on a table down on the main floor and the people sitting there scattered quickly as Luxus fired another lightning blast at Link.

Link caught the incoming boomerang before jumping into the air to avoid the blast and spun before launching first one boomerang then the other at Luxus, who charged electricity into both hands before clapping them together to send a web of lightning that knocked both boomerangs off balance and flying in opposite directions of each other.

"Not *hic* bad." Link said as he Equipped a bomb to his hand before throwing it at Luxus. "Hmph, have to take this more seriously than I thought." Luxus said as pointed the pointer and middle finger of right hand at the bomb and a thin stream of lightning shot out from his pointer finger then a few seconds later from his middle finger.

The first stream of lightning slammed into the bomb and overcharged it, causing it to explode immediately. The explosion made Link close his eyes in reflex and the second stream of lightning slammed into his chest, sending him flying back as his body twitched before he brought both hands up and the boomerangs quickly flew back to him as he landed on another table.

"I don't know if the building can take this fight." Makarov said as the smoke cleared to show Link and Luxus trading blows. "How the hell did he manage to get alcohol without even realizing it?" He demanded as he looked at the waitresses behind the bar.

"I… I thought he would like some to celebrate... getting back after being arrested." A newer waitress said and Makarov sighed as Erza glared at the waitress, making her wilt.

Electricity arced from Luxus's hands and feet as he launched a barrage of blows at Link that Link either moved to dodge or used the boomerangs to block before retaliating with several slashes then jumped to the side to attack with two acrobatic swipes.

Luxus deflected the slashes before sending an electrified punch at Link's stomach that sent him flying back to crash through three tables. "Is that it?" Luxus asked with a cocky smile after a few seconds before his eyes went wide and he jumped to the side to avoid a small orb fire before it detonated into a fifteen foot orb of fire.

"I swear to *hic* ass I'm gonna kick thy Din!" Link declared as he stood up from the pile of broken tables and benches before crossing his arms over his chest, the boomerangs held at the ready while he closed his eyes. "Farore, Goddess of Courage, Master of Nature and all creation. Grant to me now thine divine wind to blow away agents of destruction." Link chanted and his boomerangs glowed with a green light as the Triforce glowed through the Golden Gauntlets.

As soon as Erza heard him chant, her eyes went wide before grabbed onto the bar. "EVERYONE, GRAB ON TO SOMETHING SECURE!" She screamed and everyone jerked before quickly moving to grab on to something as Makarov and Mirajane also grabbed on to the bar.

"FARORE'S HURRICANE!" Link roared before throwing both boomerangs at Luxus, powerful winds kicking up in their wake.

Luxus brought his hands up to unleash another blast of lightning before they both angled up and spun around in a circle and the wind intensified, quickly pulling up the tables and benches.

"Such… such powerful winds!" Lucy screamed in surprise as she barely held on to a wooden post. "My hat!" Makarov said as his hat went flying from his head.

Luxus's eyes narrowed as he fought against the winds, barely staying on the ground, while Link stood calmly as he looked at Luxus. "Wait… *hic* how did I know that spell?" Link asked with a suddenly confused look on his face before grabbing his hat before it flew off his head. "No *hic* matter, now this fight is over!" Link yelled before charging forward, his Iron Boots smashing through the wooden floor.

"NOT SO FAST YOU BASTARD!" Luxus roared as two large arcs of electricity shot down from his shoulders before he thrust both hands out to the send the arcs out at Link, causing a large explosion.

A second later Link, surrounded by Nayru's Love, kept charging through the smoke as he tightened his left hand into a fist as he dismissed the crystal aura.

Luxus's eyes narrowed before he suddenly smirked. "All right then, one shot." He said before electricity surrounded his entire body right as Link punched into his stomach.

Link's punch sunk in a few inches before the electricity sent him flying back to smash through the wall behind the bar as Luxus skidded back then was sent into the air from the high winds. _That bastard… he broke several of my ribs even through my Rakurgeki…_ Luxus thought before the two boomerangs stopped producing the wind and fell to the ground.

Luxus landed heavily on his feet and coughed up blood as everything crashed down to the ground while everyone's legs went back to the ground. "Heh… that bastard's probably dead with that attack." Luxus muttered to himself with a cocky grin as he held his stomach while Erza ran in through the hall into the storeroom.

Several seconds later Erza came walking out with a sleeping Link on her back and Luxus's eyes went wide. "Master, let's hurry and get him to the medical room and get the sound proof seal ready." Erza said and Makarov nodded his head as he put his hat back on his head before giving a warning look to Luxus as he was about to open his mouth.

"Luxus, you should come to the medical room as well so we can look at your injuries." Makarov said but Luxus just scoffed before turning around.

"As if an attack from him could hurt me." Luxus said before taking a step and freezing as pain shot through his entire body. After a few seconds he started walking again towards the Fairy Tail doors.

"Very well." Makarov said with a small sigh before turning around to follow Erza.

"Hey, don't you think we should look for Natsu?" Lucy asked as Erza walked down the hall and Makarov paused before thrusting his arm to where the hole in the roof was and extended it while enlarging his hand right before Natsu came falling down through the hole in the ceiling to land safely on Makarov's hand, albeit unconscious.

"Everyone, please clean up this mess." Makarov said as he laid Natsu down on the floor. "I'll be right back to help once I've ensured Link won't go on another rampage." Makarov said and everyone nodded their heads before helping the waitresses get everything more or less back in order.

When Makarov entered the medical room he saw Erza had already put Link on a bed and was sitting down in a chair next to it. "You'll stay in here to make sure nothing wakes him up?" Makarov whispered and Erza nodded her head as she kept looking at Link. "Very well," He said before walking out the door and made several motions with his arms before thrusting both arms out. The door glowed for a second before going dull again and Makarov looked up at it for several seconds before sighing and walking away.

_"I haven't played *hic* since I left Kokiri Forest."_ Link's words echoed in Erza's mind as she looked down at the sleeping blond, his hat still held tightly in his hand.

"Kokiri Forest…" Erza said quietly and Link's ears twitched slightly at the sound before a small smile came to his face, making Erza's eyes widen slightly, before his expression suddenly tightened.

"No…" Link mumbled as sweat appeared on his forehead and Erza looked at him in concern. "I cannot even…" Link mumbled before falling silent again as his body started twitching.

_A nightmare?_ Erza wondered as she looked on as Link started tossing and turning. "Link, it's okay." Erza whispered before stopping in shock as Link's head tossed wildly, his face an expression of horror, disbelief, and fear, while tears came to his eyes.

_I need to calm him down quickly or he might hurt himself._ Erza thought almost desperately before she quickly reached into the armored greave on her left forearm. _This song should do it..._ She thought as she brought the Fairy Ocarina out.

_Young Erza sat by herself in front of a river, looking out at the water with her arms hugging her legs to her chest. _Everyone..._ She thought before tears came to her eyes and her head drooped down as she sobbed silently._

_"Are you okay?" Someone suddenly asked behind her and she looked back in surprise to see Link standing there, bandages still covering parts of his body._

_"I'm fine." Erza said as she stood up and wiped her eyes and Link hesitated. "I prefer to sit out here by myself, that's all." She said but Link was barely paying attention to her words._

Her eyes..._ Link thought, knowing the look in them, before reaching into his pouch to pull out the Fairy Ocarina. "What are you-?" Erza started to ask before stopping as Link began to play._

_The tune was upbeat, cheerful, and within a few seconds a smile made its way to Erza's face as she closed her eyes to enjoy the music as she felt her spirits lift for the first time in a long time._

_After a few minutes Link stopped playing and looked at Erza who still had her eyes closed with a smile on her face and a small smile came to Link's face._

_After a few more seconds Erza opened her eyes and looked at Link. "That was a beautiful song." Erza said and Link nodded his head with his smile still in place as he put the Ocarina away. "Did you make it?" She asked and Link paused as he re-tightened the stings on his pouch before finishing re-tightening them._

_"A friend." Link said quietly as he looked up. "It's called Saria's Song." He said and she nodded her head._

_"Why did you play it for me?" Erza asked after several seconds and Link hesitated uncertainly._

_"Your eyes." He eventually said and Erza looked at him in surprise. "They held loneliness and regret, and this song always cheers me up so I..." Link trailed off as he rubbed the back of his head and Erza looked at him in shock._

Erza closed her eyes as she brought the Fairy Ocarina to her mouth and took a breath. _No matter what, this song always cheered the both us up._ She thought before she started playing Saria's Song.

After several seconds Link stopped tossing and turning as his breathing calmed. "I... won't fail... Great Deku Tree..." Link mumbled and Erza's eyes opened at that though she kept playing as she looked at him.

_Great Deku Tree?_ Erza wondered to herself while she looked at him.

After a minute of playing Erza lowered the Fairy Ocarina and carefully put it back in her left greave before gently brushing the tears from his face.

As Erza was about the bring her hand back she stopped as she remembered waking up next to him and quickly looked around with a blush on her face. After several seconds of scrutiny she carefully moved Link over before going to lock the door.

After one more scan she Ex-Equipped her armor before Equipping pajamas then carefully laid down next to him, stopping whenever she felt him shift. _Just like a sleepover._ She told herself though she was still blushing slightly while she closed her eyes.

* * *

Rakurgeki – Lightning Counterblow

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	10. Erza's Shock, Link's Disappointment

Chapter Nine

Link's ears twitched a couple of times as he shifted slightly in his sleep.

A second later his eyes cracked open slightly before he closed them again and groaned as the light seemed to pierce straight through his skull and explode. A sudden movement at his side had him quickly jumping up and off the bed before he overbalanced and crashed into a curtain, making him trip to the ground.

In desperation Link grabbed onto the curtain but the rings snapped under his weight, and each ring snapping sounded like a miniature explosion.

Link grabbed his ears as he curled up on the ground to try and block out the sound.

"Link?" He heard a familiar voice asked and his face tightened, the question sounding more like a loud yell than the normal volume it was.

A few seconds later he heard some drawers being opened carefully and though he tried he could not bring himself to open his eyes to try and see what was going on. _What happened? _Link wondered as he tried to focus past the headache, but all that accomplished was making the headache even worse.

Link started when he felt a cup placed at his lips and started moving back from the smell before pausing when a hand touched his back. "It's okay Link, it's something for the hangover." He heard someone whisper and he cracked one eye slightly to see a blurry image of a face with red around it.

_Erza? _Link wondered weakly before sipping at the concoction in the drink and nearly spit out the terrible tasting liquid but fought against the reflex and swallowed. Almost immediately he felt the headache ease slightly and steeled himself before drinking more.

Once he was finished with the entire cup Link put one hand on the ground and slowly went up to all fours, his headache now almost completely gone.

"Are you feeling better?" Erza asked and Link rubbed his eyes with his right hand as he stood up before weakly opening them and looked around. After a few seconds he was able to focus on her and nodded his head before his look became questioning.

Erza's expression became a little severe and Link blinked. "In order to celebrate you coming back, one of the newer waitresses mixed some alcohol in your milk." She said and Link's eyes went wide before his expression became panicked. "You punched Natsu through the roof after he woke you up then fought with Laxus, who was able to knock you out after a fight that almost tore apart the Guild." Erza said and Link groaned as he sat down on a bed.

"I think the wounds you inflicted on Laxus will help curb his ego however, and no one was seriously hurt." Erza said and Link offered a small grin at that before he stood up and went to go grab his hat. Once he put his hat on his head, Link looked at Erza and she nodded her head before going to the door and placing er hand against it as she closed her eyes.

After several seconds she released the seal on the door and they walked out. "Shall we see if there are any good jobs on the second floor?" Erza asked and after a few seconds Link nodded his head.

"ERZA!" Makarov yelled as they came walking out and Link winced as his ears twitched, Makarov's yell aggravating what remained of his headache. "I need you to go help Gray get Natsu!" Makarov continued and Erza looked at him in surprise as Link tilted his head curiously. "Natsu, Lucy, and Happy stole an S-Class mission!" He yelled and Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously as Link put his right hand over his eyes. "Gray went after them but..." Makarov trailed off and Link nodded his head as the image of Gray and Natsu continuously knocking the other out at the same time came to him.

"Which job?" Erza asked as Mirajane walked up.

"Happy grabbed the job for Galuna Island." Mirajane said and Erza nodded her head before walking to the door.

"I'll bring them back quickly, Master." Erza said before looking over as Link walked beside her.

"... I almost feel bad for those three." Macau commented as Link and Erza walked out. "But that's what they get for breaking the rules I guess." He said before taking a drink of his beer.

"Can you run?" Erza asked as Link closed the door and he glanced at her.

"Can you keep up?" Link asked with a small grin before he disappeared in a green flash and Erza immediately took off in a blur of movement.

**One Day Later (Coast Town Harujion)**

Link and Erza looked down at the town before Link looked over at Erza, who's eyes were still narrowed in anger. "We need to secure passage to Galuna Island." Erza said and Link put a hand on her shoulder, making her look at him, then pointed up at the full moon high in the sky. "There's bound to be someone still sailing at this hour." She said and Link opened his mouth before pausing at the look in her eyes then offered a sigh and nodded his head.

_Natsu, Happy... and Lucy... pray you're lucky enough to be punished by Master Makarov. _Link thought before following Erza into the town.

"Are you crazy!" A large, rotund man wearing a red, unbuttoned jacket, dark slacks, and a pirate hat jeered in amusement as he and his crew looked at Erza and Link. "There's no way me or me crew are going anywhere near that cursed island!" He declared before turning around with a laugh.

Link's ears drooped slightly at the man's dismissal; for the second the pirate turned around and laughed with his crew, Erza walked forward. "We need him in one piece." Link reminded her quietly and she nodded her head once.

"You wanna try somethin' girl?" The pirate asked and his crew took on menacing postures as Erza walked up to him. "You should know we don't go easy on no one." He said before his crew charged forward.

Link closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feel of the wind on his face as the sound of waves lapping against the hull of the pirate ship filled his ears, a small smile on his face.

"W...why exactly do you want to go to that cursed island?" The cowed pirate captain asked and Link opened his eyes to look down from the top of the mast at the deck, where Erza stood staring out toward the still distant island, the rest of the pirate's crew lay passed out on the deck.

"All you need to do is steer." Erza told him and he winced before steeling himself as his crew finally started stirring.

"G...give us a break... ma'am." He said imploringly and she looked at him with steely eyes. "They say humans turn into demons on that island so-"

"I don't care." Erza said sharply and he winced again while Link jumped down from the top of the mast to land lightly beside her, his impassive gaze on the crew members as they began to stand up. "We're going to punish some unruly children, that's all there is to it."

"So cool!" All the crew members yelled out and the captain sweat dropped as Erza and Link continued to look at them impassively.

"You're so amazing!" The largest crew member gushed.

"We'll follow you anywhere, Ane-san, Anigo-san!" Another one yelled out.

"Hurry it up." Erza said simply and they all saluted.

"Aye aye, sir!" They yelled and the captain gave a helpless shake of his head before looking forward again.

"Link," Erza said and Link glanced at her. "Do you think Gray decided to join them on the S-Class quest instead of bringing them back?" She asked and Link hesitated for a few seconds before nodding his head once and her eyes steeled even more.

The sun was just starting to come over the horizon when the pirate crew dropped anchor when a large explosion was heard from further in the island.

Just as they both started to jump from the ship to the beach, Link suddenly paused at the railing of the ship as his ears twitched and he looked in another direction.

"Link?" Erza called out and Link looked down at her before jumping from the ship to land lightly beside her.

"Lucy." Link said in explanation and she nodded her head.

"You go after Lucy, I'll head toward the explosion." Erza said and Link nodded before taking off at a full sprint. "You all keep the ship here until we return!" Erza said to the pirates before taking off toward the direction of the explosion.

"Aye aye, Ane-san!" They all, including the captain, yelled as they snapped a salute.

At another beach, Lucy and a young woman with purple hair were busy slapping at each other as they stumbled around in a daze.

"I can't believe you'd be satisfied with a draw!" The young woman, Sherry, yelled and Lucy's eyes narrowed.

"Draw?" Lucy asked as she forced herself to focus before planting one foot solidly on the sand. "This fight is mine!" She declared before launching forward to clothes line Sherry.

Sherry spun in the air before slamming heavily on the sand. "Angelica... avenge... me..." She said weakly before passing out and Lucy's eyes went wide before exhaustion sent her to her knees.

"W-what?" Lucy said in surprise before Angelica, a blue rat close to forty feet in height, launched out from nowhere towards Lucy.

"Hi... HIEEEEKK!" Lucy screamed in terror as she was about to be crushed.

"HYAA!" Link yelled out as he launched from the top of a cliff at top speed to send Angelica flying with a single punch to its face, his Silver Gauntlets gleaming in the morning sunlight.

"CHUU!" Angelica screamed as she flew the air before landed in the ocean with a large splash while Link landed lightly on the beach ten feet away from Lucy.

Lucy's eyes brightened as she smiled happily. "Link-sa-!" She started to say before freezing as Link looked back at her impassively. _Th...that's right... _Lucy thought as she gulped nervously. _We stole an S-Class job. _She remembered as Link walked up to her, Ex-Equipping his Silver Gauntlets.

"Lucy?" Happy called out as he came up to her before freezing when he saw Link.

"Link, I was forced to come!" Happy cried out as he flew in at Link to latch on to his arm and look up at him with tear-filled eyes while Lucy looked at Happy in shock.

_That little traitor! _Lucy thought as Link looked down at Happy before putting one gloved hand on his head then looked at Lucy before offering her his hand. Lucy looked up at Link before taking his hand and slowly standing up.

"Link, since you're here does that mean Erza isn't-" Happy started to say hopefully but Link shook his head and pointed off in the direction he remembered the explosion being in.

"AHHH!" Happy yelled before starting to fly off.

Link extended his right hand towards Happy, who suddenly found himself encased in a small blue crystal, unable to move anywhere. Happy looked back with tears once more in his eyes only to see Link looking back with an uncompromising expression.

"But Link... Erza's really mad I bet." Happy said as the crystal came down to float over Link's outstretched hand and Link nodded his head once before his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Follow me." Link said as he glanced at Lucy and she immediately nodded her head before following after him. "While we walk, explain." He added and Lucy gulped nervously as Happy put his arms around his legs, not even bothering to try to escape from Nayru's Embrace.

By the time they reached the destroyed remains of the village, Link found that despite the fact they broke an important rule of Fairy Tail, he could no longer be fully upset at any of them. _The reason at first was purely selfish but... _Link thought before giving a small sigh and releasing Happy, catching him by surprise as he fell into Link's hand.

"Go get everyone and bring them back." Link said and Happy looked at him with wide eyes before gulping.

"But what if-" Happy started to say before cutting himself off as Link looked down at him. "Aye, sir!" Happy yelled as he took off at high speed.

"Link-san?" Lucy said a little nervously after Happy flew off and Link glanced at her before walking towards the edge of the ruined village and went to one knee to feel the scarred earth.

After a few seconds Link stood up and reached into his pouch to pull out the Ocarina of Time. "What are you going to do?" Lucy asked but Link didn't answer as he brought the Ocarina to his lips and closed his eyes before he played a slow, haunting song.

Lucy's confusion didn't lessen until she remembered what Happy and Erza had said about Link's magic.

_But what does Link-san plan on doing? _Lucy wondered as Link kept playing the song before she looked at the ground when she saw something. A second later her eyes went wide as the ground began to return to its original color before the large village gate started to reform. _Im... impossible! _Lucy thought in shock as she stared with wide eyes.

Several minutes later Link stopped playing and slowly took his Ocarina from his mouth before opening his eyes to look at the completed gate. "A... amazing..." Lucy said as she looked up at the completed gate while Link put away the Ocarina then walked up to the gate.

"W... w... what did you do?" A voice from behind had Lucy turn around in surprise to see the villagers standing there before paling to see Erza standing there as well, already looking at her with narrowed eyes.

Before Lucy could say anything Erza looked back at everyone. "Link has restored your homes." Erza said before she walked forward and everyone looked at her in surprise. "Bring Gray." She said and Link's eyes went wide as his ears rose slightly when he saw Gray carried forward on a stretcher.

Link immediately disappeared in a green flash before reappearing at the top of the gate, perfectly balanced on the tip of one of the cut logs, then looked around before disappearing from view. A few seconds later the gate opened up to allow everyone in and tears came to some of their eyes to see that everyone had been restored back to its original state.

"Bobo's grave..." Chief Moka said when he saw the grave stone and wiped his eyes with his human arm, his sideburns dangling with the movement.

"We'll take Gray to a tent and finish tending his wounds." A young woman with short blue hair said before motioning to the four men carrying the stretcher to follow her.

Lucy started after him, concern in her eyes, before freezing when a gauntlet encased hand latched on to her shoulder.

"Where's Natsu?" Erza asked and Lucy shivered in fear before she started getting dragged away. "Link, make sure Gray doesn't escape." She said and Link hesitated in confusion as he watched Erza take Lucy before shaking his head a couple of times.

_She'll calm down by the time it takes Gray to wake up. _Link thought as he walked after the ones carrying Gray.

It was almost evening by the time before Gray's eyes opened weakly. After a couple of seconds he suddenly sat up quickly, his eyes alert, before wincing as he put his hand to his stomach. _Damn that Natsu... _Gray thought, recalling how Natsu had punched him in the stomach to keep him from fighting.

A second later his eyes went wide when he noticed Link sitting three feet to his right, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. "Link?" Gray said in surprise and Link's ears twitched a couple of times before his eyes opened to look at Gray impassively. "What are you doing here?" Gray asked but Link just stood up before walking up to Gray then offering him his hand.

"Of course..." Gray said with a small sigh as he took Link's hand before standing up. "Link, I have no intention of going back now." Gray said with steely eyes as he looked into Link's impassive gaze when Link suddenly gave a small grin and nodded his head.

"Lucy explained what happened." Link said before walking to the door flap, motioning Gray to follow him.

Gray followed silently for several seconds before giving a sigh. "At least it wasn't Erza that came to get us." He remarked and Link glanced back before opening a door flap to reveal Erza sitting down with her legs crossed. Gray's eyes shot open when he saw Erza and Link motioned for him to walk in.

Gray steeled himself before walking in to face Erza and Link walked in behind him before going to the side.

"Gray, weren't you supposed to bring everyone back?" Erza asked and Gray nodded his head.

"Do you know where Natsu is?" Gray asked and Erza shook her head.

"Link, Gray, we're going to find Natsu." Erza said as she walked forward. "Afterwards, we're going back." She said and Gray looked at Erza in surprise as Link's eyes widened slightly.

"Erza, don't you know what's going on!" Gray asked and Erza paused to look at him, her face away from Link.

"What of it?" She asked and Link's eyes shot open in surprise. "Link and I came to bring rule breakers back to the Guild, that's all there is to say." Erza said and Link's expression fell slightly, his ears drooping as he looked to the side.

"But surely you saw what the people of this island look like!" Gray said and Erza nodded her head. "And you're okay with just leaving them like this!" He demanded and Erza shifted her body to face him directly.

"The job was posted at every Guild." Erza said as she looked him in the eyes. "Wouldn't it be better to let someone who can actually handle the job take care of it?" She asked before pausing a little uncertainly.

"Don't you have any honor!" Gray demanded and Erza's eyes hardened again as Lucy and Happy looked at him in shock.

"What was that?" Erza demanded coldly before holding her hand up. "Do you intend to break the rules as well?" She asked before she Equipped a blade to her hand and placed it before Gray's neck.

Gray's eyes went wide in shock before his eyes hardened.

A second later the sound of metal hitting metal rang throughout the small hut and everyone, mainly Erza, looked at Link in surprise as the Gilded Sword held Erza's sword against the ground before his right foot lashed out to kick the sword from Erza's hand, his ears drooping limply.

For several long seconds no sound was made before Link Equipped his Hylian Shield and sheathed the Gilded Sword in one smooth action.

"Link?" Erza said in surprise but he was already walking to the hut exit before pausing.

"Gray." Link said and after a second Gray nodded his head before walking out in front of Link.

"Follow me to the ruins." Gray said and Link nodded his head, his ears still down low, before glancing back at Erza once then walked out after Gray without another word.

Erza's eyes were now wide, the look of disappointment in Link's eyes filling her with shock. _Link? _She wondered as she crouched down to retrieve her sword before freezing as realization filled her.

"Heh heh heh..." Natsu said with an evil smile as he stared at a large stone pillar. "This should be fun." He said before fire surrounded both his fists.

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	11. Gray's Resolve: Goodbye Everyone

Chapter Ten

"You okay, Link?" Gray asked as they ran and after several seconds of silence he glanced back to see Link's ears still down low. "... You didn't need to do that, you know." Gray said as he looked forward again.

"I know." Link said simply before his ears twitched slightly and he immediately looked back.

"Gray, how far away are the ruins?" Erza asked as she and Lucy ran up, Happy flying along behind them.

"Erza?" Gray said in surprise as he turned around before dropping to a ready stance. "I already said-"

"We'll finish this job." Erza said as she stopped in front of him, locking eyes only with Gray. "I was... wrong." She said and Gray's eyes widened slightly. "In my anger at Lucy, Natsu, and Happy," Erza said and Lucy gulped slightly, "I ignored the pain these people are in." She said before looking back at Link apologetically. "Thank you for bringing me to my senses." Erza said and Link nodded his head with a small smile, his ears perking up slightly.

Erza gave a small smile in return before looking at Gray again, her face serious once more. "Gray, you seem to know what's going on here." She said and Gray's eyes went to the side as his right hand clenched.

"Yeah..." Gray said and Link's face went serious as everyone gathered around Gray. "But in order for you guys to understand... I'm gonna have to start from the beginning from when I met Ur and Leon." He said as called up memories of a beautiful woman with short black hair and a young child with white, spiky hair.

"But we don't have time to just stand around, so I'll explain on the way." Gray said as he shook his head to dispel the images and started running towards the Moon Temple again, the other following close behind.

**_Moon Temple Ruins_**

"How shameful." A young man with white, spiky hair said to an unusual looking man with cat ears and an almost feline-like face. "All three of you were taken out?" He asked; his eyes cool as he looked down at the slouched and obviously embarrassed man before him.

"Oohhnnn..." The man said as he looked down at the ground. "Please don't tell the others I took myself out... oohhnnn..." He said before they both looked to the side at the sound of obnoxious laughter.

"Though the fact that the three of you were defeated so easily is quite amusing," A small, rotund man wearing a tribal mask said as he walked around a corner, "this could cause trouble for Deliora's revival." He said and the young man with white hair looked at him in mild surprise.

"You were here, Zarti?" He asked and Zarti gave a small nod of his head.

"You do understand what I mean, don't you Reitei-sama?" Zarti asked and Leon's eyes narrowed slightly. "Tonight the moon's magical power will be maximized, and Deliora will finally be revived." He said before his wide smile tightened slightly. "But if the ritual were to be disrupted..." Zarti trailed off and Leon stood up swiftly, his cape billowing out behind him.

"Then Deliora will stay imprisoned in the ice forever." Leon said and Zarti nodded his head once as the cat-eared man looked down. "I should've taken care of this myself after all." He said as he grabbed a steel plate helmet.

"Oohhnnn... I'm sorry Leon-sama." The cat-eared man said.

"Get the preparations for tonight's ceremony ready, Toby." Leon said and the cat-eared man nodded his head.

"You have two new opponents, Erza the Titania and Maharathi Link." Zarti said and Leon looked at him as he put his helmet on.

"As usual, you're pretty fast with your information." Leon said after securing the helmet. "But they can't beat me." He said as he raised his left hand up. "Not with my ice magic that surpasses Ur." Leon said and Zarti smiled.

"That's reassuring." Zarti said before tilting his masked head down slightly as his smile became slightly more sinister. "But to ensure the safety of the ritual, perhaps I should join in as well?" He asked and Toby's eyes went wide.

"YOU CAN FIGHT AS WELL!" Toby yelled in surprise, even Leon's eyes widening slightly behind his helmet.

"Yes..." Zarti said, his face showing his enjoyment at their surprise. "A little bit of the... "Lost Magic"."

"LOST MAGIC!" Toby yelled in surprise as he stared at Zarti. "Oohhnn!"

"Hmph." Leon said as he walked down the three steps. "What a creepy guy." He said; getting a chuckle of amusement from Zarti, before they all looked around in surprise as the ruins started shaking.

"AN EARTHQUAKE!" Toby once again yelled at the top of his voice as the ruins continued shaking before they began to tilt to the right.

"Th... This is...!" Leon said as he looked up at the ceiling, his mouth open in shock.

"This is an interesting idea." Zarti said as he looked down and Leon and Toby both looked at him. "It appears he's tilted the ruins." He and they followed his gaze down through a hole in the ground.

"HIM!" Toby yelled in shock when he saw who it was.

"Huh." Natsu said as he looked at his handiwork, his hands on his hips, with a reflective look on his face. "Things break easily if I'm not aware of it, but if I'm actually trying to its surprisingly pretty hard." He said thoughtfully before looking up at Leon, Zarti, and Toby.

"You bastard..." Leon said as he grit his teeth. "What is the meaning of this?" He demanded angrily and Natsu looked up with fiery determination burning in his eyes.

"The ruins are tilted, right?" Natsu asked as he shifted his stance. "Now the moon won't shed its light on the devil underground." He said and Leon's right hand tightened into a fist.

"HOW THE HELL DID HE DO THIS!" Toby yelled in surprise as he scratched his head in confusion.

"It's simple really." Zarti said and Toby looked at him. "He destroyed half of the supporting props so that the Moon Temple would tilt; rather ingenious, but simple." He said with a smile. "You're smarter than you look, young Salamander." Zarti said and Natsu glared at him as flames erupted from his feet.

"PUT A SOCK IN IT!" Natsu roared as he launched up towards them.

"OOHHNNN! HE CAN CREATE FLAMES ANYWHERE ON HIS BODY!" Toby yelled right before Natsu rammed into Leon, sending his helmet flying off his head.

Toby looked over in shock before cracks started appearing over Leon's body.

Natsu's eyes widened slightly as Leon shattered before he spun in the air and did a flaming backhand as several ice eagles flew in at him, destroying all but three that slammed into him with jarring force.

Natsu, however, shrugged off the blows as he took a deep breath. "KARYUU NO HOUKO!" Natsu roared as he sent a blast of intense flames at Leon.

"Ice Make: Snow Dragon." Leon said as he held one hand out towards the incoming flames and the air around him swirled with freezing winds before a dragon made of ice shot from around him towards the fire.

The two attacks slammed together into each other, resulting in a large explosion that sent the still airborne Natsu back away from the hole and over solid ground. "You're agile, but can you dodge in midair?" Leon asked as he gathered magical power.

"Ice Make: Eagle!" Leon yelled as he thrust his right hand out and over a dozen ice eagles flew out from his hand at Natsu.

"Well actually…" Natsu said with a smirk before taking a deep breath and exhaling a blast of flames that propelled him to the ground and under the ice eagles. "Yeah, I can." He said before flames exploded from his legs and he spun around quickly on his hands, sending the flames outward in a large circle.

"Such unpredictable magic!" Leon said in surprise as he ducked under the flames while Zarti quickly ran away to avoid the flames and Toby got hit with the full force of the attack.

Natsu kept spinning on his hands as the flames kept rocketing from his legs to bring another stream of fire to bear against Leon.

This time Leon was forced to jump up to avoid the stream of fire, his cape billowing out behind him with the movement. "Hey now, what was that earlier about dodging in midair?" Natsu asked with his smirk still in place before he took a deep breath and Leon's eyes widened. "KARYUU NO HOUKO!" Natsu once more roared as he sent a blast of intense flames at Leon.

Suddenly the floor under Natsu crumbled, sending him down to the next level. "WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!" Natsu roared in confusion as he fell, the sudden descent forcing the angle of the blast to go above Leon.

"My my… aren't you the lucky one, Reitei-sama?" Zarti asked with a smile as Leon landed lightly on his feet.

Toby coughed out a plume of smoke as he raised one burnt hand, a hand that matched the rest of his body. "Please don't tell the others I got hit." He said as smoke rose from his body.

Leon, however, ignored Toby as he turned to look at Zarti. "What did you do, Zarti?" Leon asked and Zarti looked at him in surprise.

"Pardon?" Zarti asked innocently and Leon's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Don't play dumb, it was your magic that caused the floor to crumble, wasn't it?" Leon asked and Zarti's smile came back.

"Excellent Reitei-sama, you saw through it after all." Zarti said before offering a small bow. "But please understand; I cannot lose you until we revive Deliora." He said and Leon's entire face went cold.

"You think I'd die from such a flame?" Leon asked before cold air erupted from him and in a matter of seconds the entire room was coated in ice. "I, Leon Reitei, am the only mage who can take down Deliora." He said before shooting an icy glare at Zarti, who was looking at him in surprise. "It would be a disgrace to my name if I were to lose to such a brat." Leon said as Natsu climbed up through the hole in the floor.

"Tch…" Zarti said in annoyance as Natsu stood up and glared at Leon and Zarti.

"Go and prepare the ceremony to revive Deliora, I'll be along after I finish up here." Leon said and Toby nodded his head before taking off. Zarti stayed still for a couple more seconds before bowing his head and running out of the room after Toby.

"Why the hell do you want to revive that thing?" Natsu asked as he locked glares with Leon. "It's already half dead, what's the point of fighting it now?" He demanded and Leon held his right hand out to the side.

"Anything to surpass Ur." Leon said as cold air gathered in his right hand. "AND KEEP DREAMING!" He suddenly yelled as he thrust his hand out and nearly two dozen ice eagles shot out at Natsu.

"Whoa!" Natsu yelled in surprise as he quickly jumped around to dodge the ice eagles. "If you want…" Natsu said as he kept moving around to avoid the ice eagles as they flew around to try and slam into him. "To surpass Ur that badly..." Natsu continued on while still dodging. "Challenge her directly!" He declared but Leon just continued to look at him coldly.

"Didn't you hear?" Leon asked as he moved his hand around to manipulate the ice eagles. "Ur died a long time ago." Leon said and Natsu's eyes widened slightly.

"It's a demon that my teacher, Ur, risked her life to seal." So that's what Gray meant… Natsu thought before he was hit suddenly hit by four ice eagles in the chest. "GAH!" Natsu yelled out, more in surprise than pain, as he skidded back a couple of inches before standing firm.

"BECAUSE OF GRAY!" Leon yelled in outrage as he sent more of his ice eagles to home in on Natsu.

Natsu's eyes burned as he slammed his fists together then roared as flames exploded out from him in a dome, vaporizing the ice eagles. "I don't know what happened in the past, but right now there are a lot of people suffering from what you're doing." Natsu said as blood dripped from his chest and Leon's face went back to its icy glare. No wonder Link uses his fire that way so often. Natsu thought as he wiped at the blood on his chest.

"It's time to snap you out of it." Natsu growled out as flames exploded from his hands. "WITH A HOT PUNISHMENT!" He roared before launching towards Leon.

While Natsu and Leon were fighting; Gray, Link, Erza, Lucy, and Happy were still running towards the ruins.

"So Leon's trying to revive Deliora in order to fight it?" Lucy asked in surprise and Gray nodded his head.

"Leon's dream was always to surpass Ur while she was teaching us." Gray explained as they ran. "Now that she's gone, he's trying to defeat Deliora; the devil that even she couldn't defeat." Gray said and Lucy nodded her head slowly.

"In order to surpass the dead… that would be the only way…" Lucy said solemnly.

"Aye." Happy said as he flew beside her.

"No… Leon simply doesn't know…" Gray said as his gaze lowered and they all looked at him questioningly. "Ur did disappear but..." Gray trailed off before suddenly looking up again. "She's still alive."

"EEEHH!" Lucy screamed in surprise as Link and Erza shot him looks of surprise.

"BUT HOW?" Happy yelled as he grabbed his cheeks in shock.

"What do you mean?" Erza asked with a serious look on her face. "What exactly happened in the past?" She asked and Gray's expression tightened.

"Ten years ago, my hometown was attacked by Deliora." Gray said and images of the destroyed ruins his home had become flashed through his mind. "It didn't even need an entire day to completely destroy it… I was the only one who survived." He said and Lucy gasped in horror as she covered her mouth with her hands. "The only reason I'm still alive now though was because Ur and Leon happened to come by." Gray said and Link's expression turned solemn.

"Shortly after they rescued me, I asked Ur to teach me magic." Gray said before his eyes lowered again.

"Revenge." Link stated quietly, making Lucy and Happy look back at him surprise.

"Yeah…" Gray confirmed a few seconds later. "Several months later, I found out that Deliora was seen heading towards Burago. Despite Ur's and Leon's warnings, I ran off to challenge it." Gray said and his hands clenched into fists. "If only I had listened to them…" Gray said before trailing off as everyone stopped in surprise.

"The ruins are… tilted?" Lucy asked in confusion as she tilted her head to the side as they took in the bizarre sight of the Moon Temple tilted to one side.

"Heh." Gray said as he put his hand to face and Lucy looked at him in confusion before looking over as Erza laughed softly while Link shook his head with a small smile on his face. "I don't know how, but this has Natsu written all over it." Gray said with a smirk

"Aye!" Happy said with a wide smile on his face and Lucy looked at them in surprise before giggling.

Link's ears suddenly twitched and he quickly turned around while Equipping his two broad scimitars to deflect a dozen, small crescent shaped blades.

"What the-!"

"Show yourself!" Erza said, cutting of Lucy's panicked yell, as she Equipped two short swords to deflect more of the blades.

"We finally found you, Fairy Tail." The leader of a group of over four dozen people said as they walked through the underbrush towards them.

They were all dressed in the same purple ceremonial robes and masks and Lucy took a step back. "Th-these guys again!" Lucy said in surprise and Gray's face tightened as he started to bring his hands together.

Suddenly Link and Erza each put a sword out in front of him, making an X pattern, and he froze as he looked at them in surprise.

"Go." Erza said and Gray looked at her. "We'll take care of things here; you go and settle things with Leon." Erza said and both she and Link looked back with small grins on their face, Link nodding in agreement.

"That's right!" Lucy declared as she pulled out a whip and stretched it out. "The four of us can take care of these creeps!" Lucy declared and Happy nodded his head as he pumped his paw into the air.

"Aye!" Happy declared with a determined look on his face as he pulled out a fish skeleton from his bag.

"You guys…" Gray said before grinning and turning around. "Right, see you guys after this is over." He said as he started to run to the ruins while the sun began to set.

"Hey!" One member of the group yelled out before stopping as one person held him back.

"We'll take care of these interlopers first, and then go after him." The person said in a light, feminine voice and the other person nodded his head before they all took out two bizarre, almost crescent moon shaped, weapon and got into battle stances.

"We cannot let you mages stop us now, not after all these years." The apparent leader said before charging recklessly at them.

Link suddenly Ex-Equipped his two broad scimitars then Re-Quipped his Gilded Sword to his left hand and Erza looked over at him questioningly as she raised one eyebrow slightly, to which he returned with a small nod.

"Understood." Erza said as she brought her two short swords up and she Ex-Equipped her armor to Re-Quip her Flight Armor; a leopard pelt that barely covered her chest and shoulder guard with a fur collar and a cloth that covered her waist down to just above her knees, and a pair of leopard ears on her head to top it off, as Lucy looked at them with wide eyes.

_Understood what? He didn't say anything!_ Lucy wondered in confusion before she noticed the small blush Link had.

Before she could say anything though, Erza disappeared in a blur of movement and Link charged in after her.

**_Natsu_**

Natsu gave a small grunt of annoyance as he plowed through an ice wall with a flame empowered punch before continuing his charge at Leon with his left fist held at the ready.

Leon held out his right hand as he summoned more ice and Natsu's fist slammed into Leon's palm, the two canceling each other out.

Natsu landed several feet away before summoning more flames around his hands. "This is pointless." Natsu suddenly said in annoyance. "Just go ahead and give it up already." Natsu said and Leon brushed at his cape.

"I could say the same to you." Leon said and Natsu smirked at the answer he was hoping to get.

"Let's settle this." Natsu said as he brought one hand up close to his face and waved at Leon to come in.

"This is more fun than I thought it would be." Leon said as a small smirk came to his face as well while more cold wind blew from him.

As they both prepared to charge, the frozen wall to Natsu's right suddenly started cracking. They both stopped and looked over in surprise when the wall suddenly shattered to show Gray.

"Gray?" Natsu said in surprise as Gray slowly walked in.

"Sorry about this Natsu, but I'm gonna have to ask you to stay out of private matters." Gray said and Natsu glared at him.

"YOU-!"

"Shut up." Gray said, cutting Natsu off mid-rant, as he widened his stance and crossed his arms out in front of him. "Leon, it's time to face your punishment for what you've done to my friends and the people of this island." Gray said and Leon's eyes went wide as he took a step back.

"That stance!" Leon said in shock as Gray's eyes narrowed.

"Change the villagers back to normal this instant and then gather your comrades to leave this island forever." Gray said and Leon steeled himself before sighing.

"I see… you intend to use Iced Shell as a threat-!" Leon started to say before taking another step back in shock at the magical power Gray suddenly released.

_Iced Shell?_ Natsu thought with a confused expression before his eyes widened. _But that's-!_

"It's not a threat." Gray said coldly. "It's an ultimatum." He explained as his face tightened. "We live on like Ur wants us to… or we die together, here and now." Gray said and Leon continued to look at him with wide eyes.

"Go ahead." Leon said confidently a couple of seconds later, his composure regained. "You don't have the courage to use that spell." He said and Gray gave an internal sigh.

_Link… Erza… and you too, Natsu…_ Gray thought as he prepared to unleash his spell. _I'll leave the rest to you…_ Goodbye everyone. He thought while cracks started to appear all over his body.

"ICED SHELL!" 

* * *

Karyuu no Houko – Fire Dragon's Roar

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	12. Into the Past: Link's First Winter

Tis the season for random inspiration to strike and ruin concentration for writing chapters of other stories.

A look into the past, to Link's first encounter of winter in Earthland.

* * *

Link's First Winter

Young Link shivered under his blankets, his body curled tight to conserve warmth, before the sound of his chattering teeth woke him up.

_Co... cold... _Link thought as he shivered. _It feels worse than when Zora's- _Link's train of thought cut off as his eyes widened in surprise when he saw his breath.

_What is this! ? _Link thought in shock before squeezing his eyes tight. _Need to... get up and to the Guild... should be warm there... _Link thought before forcing himself out from under his blankets to quickly get dressed.

"Huuuuh?" Gray asked with a curious expression as he walked with Cana in the snow covered streets towards Fairy Tail. "What do you mean it's too cold? You're wearing a coat and pants." He said and Cana shot him an unhappy glare.

"I'm not an ice mage, Gray." Cana said as she shivered slightly in her yellow coat. "So all this cold doesn't agree with me." She said and Gray smirked as he put his hands behind his head.

"I actually wish it would stay like this more often, it's more comfortable than all that warm weather." Gray said and Cana shivered as she hugged her coat tighter.

"Don't even joke about that, Gray." She said and Gray chuckled.

"Well if that's the case, how come you decided to come to the Guild so early?" Gray asked and Cana shot him another glare.

"You know I like getting my hot chocolate when there's still plenty of marshmallows still available." She said as she stuck her tongue out at him and Gray shrugged before pausing.

"Hmm?" Gray said curiously before his eyes went wide in shock when he saw the destroyed doors into Fairy Tail.

"The Guild!" Gray and Cana yelled as they quickly ran up before quickly going to each side of the entryway and peaking in.

"Do you see anything?" Gray whispered as Cana took out a card.

"No, it looks like no one else has gotten here yet." Cana said and Gray's eyes tightened slightly.

_Master and the workers usually get here by now... _Gray thought before looking bringing his hands together in case he had to cast a spell quickly before running in through the opening. "Who's here! ?" Gray demanded, Cana coming up behind to protect his flank.

After a few tense seconds, Makarov suddenly poked his head out from the right hallway that leads to the kitchen. "Ah, Gray, Cana." He said in mild surprise.

"Master, what happened?" Gray asked as he got out of his stance and Makarov tilted his head slightly before realization dawned on him.

"You must be talking about the doors, right?" He asked and Gray slowly nodded his head. "No need to be alarmed, Link just broke in last night." Makarov said before disappearing down the hall again.

"L-link did what! ?" Gray and Cana yelled in surprise before stopping when they heard a sigh behind them. Both of them turned around and Gray took one step back in surprise and a small amount of fear when he saw Erza, who was in her regular armor though with a thicker shirt and pants under her skirt.

"So that's all it was." Erza said as she sheathed her saber. "Really now, I thought the Guild was under attack." She said before walking forward. "Just what was Link thinking, destroying the doors like this and breaking in?" She asked as she walked past Cana and Gray.

"Maybe he left something in the Guild?" Cana speculated as she walked with Erza, Gray cautiously walking behind them, and Erza put her hand to her chin thoughtfully.

"I don't remember seeing him take anything out yesterday before we left." Erza said and Cana looked at her before grinning slightly.

"Ne, where are exactly do you two go in the afternoons anyway?" Cana asked as they walked down the hall and Erza froze before looking to the side.

"N-nowhere important." She said with a small blush and Cana giggled while Gray smirked.

"You two act so mature all the time, don't tell me you're getting a head start on being boyfriend and gir- URK!" Gray's comment was cut short as he froze in terror when Erza looked back at him with glowing eyes, her hand resting on the hilt of her saber.

"What are you implying, Gray?" Erza asked as she began to sloooowly draw her saber.

"Gr-Gray only meant to ask if maybe you two were practicing kissing?" Cana said as she waved her hands back and forth, trying to minimize the importance of Gray's comment, a blush on her face because of how blunt she had to ask the question.

"WE'RE NOT!" Erza screamed as she turned to glare at Cana, who immediately froze.

A couple seconds later a loud yawn turned their attention to a door a few feet away before it opened. "You kids are too loud." Makarov said before giving a small sigh. "Though given Link's hearing he could have been dead and that scream would've woken him up." He said and they all looked in before their eyes went wide in surprise to see Link sitting up, his large blanket on the ground around him, rubbing his right eye sleepily.

"Link!" Erza said in surprise and Link's ears twitched as he grimaced in pain. "What were thinking, breaking into Fairy Tail! ?" Erza demanded as she walked forward before stopping as Makarov held his hand up then turned around.

"I'm actually curious about that myself, Link." Makarov said and Link shivered before bringing his blanket up around and pulled it tight.

"Hmm... you don't have any heating in your house?" Makarov asked and Link nodded his head.

"Link, how could you not get ready for winter! ?" Erza demanded almost angrily and Link looked at her with a confused expression.

"Win... ter?" Link asked curiously and they all looked at him in surprise.

"Link, you've never experienced winter before?" Makarov asked and Link looked at him before looking up curiously. "Have you ever seen snow before?" He asked and Link looked back at him while cocking his head to the side, his ears twitching with the movement.

"It should have been all over the ground while you were walking here." Gray said and Link blinked before shrugging slightly.

"Too tired and cold to notice, huh?" Makarov asked and Link nodded his head. "Very well, follow me." He said before turning around and walking out of the kitchen. "Mustn't keep the cooks away from their jobs too much longer." Makarov said with a smile and Link blinked before looking around at the all the smiling cooks.

Link immediately jumped up and did a quick bow, getting a small laugh from some of them, before following Makarov out the door.

"Link, I can't believe you actually destroyed the doors." Erza scolded and Link rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment before suddenly shivering as the cold from outside hit him.

_This feeling... _Link thought before freezing when he saw the snow on the ground. _I've seen this... _He thought before his eyes widened before he suddenly dashed forward, taking everyone by surprise.

"Link!" Makarov yelled in surprise as Link rushed past him, pulling the Kokiri Sword from his bag and looping it on to his back.

_Has Magnolia been cursed like -! _Link wondered before he was suddenly being reeled in by Makarov's enlarged left arm.

"Link, calm down right now!" Makarov commanded but Link was not in the mood to listen as he slammed one hand on a nerve on Makarov's hand, making his hand immediately open from reflex.

Once Link landed he immediately charged forward again before being slammed into the ground from Makarov's right fist. "Damn brat, holding him while he's conscious is too hard when he gets that look in his eyes." Makarov grumbled as he picked up Link.

Close to an hour later Link was sitting at a table with Erza, Gray, Cana, and Makarov sitting around him, all them with a mug of hot chocolate in front of them. By this time more Guild members had filtered in and were talking amongst themselves or looking at jobs on the Guild Board.

"So that's why you reacted that way." Makarov said with a sigh before blowing on his mug of hot chocolate. "You thought this was a repeat of a curse you had seen before." He said and Link nodded his head as he gripped his own mug of chocolate with both hands.

"So this is your first time seeing winter?" Cana asked and Link nodded his head before looking over as Erza suddenly stood up.

"Right, then we need to get you some winter clothes." Erza said firmly and Link blinked before he was suddenly being pulled along by his arm towards the newly repaired doors.

"Erza, you could at least let your boyfriend finish his hot choco- OOF!" Gray started to say with a smirk before going flying from a punch courtesy of Erza.

"When are you going to stop trying to pick fights with Erza?" Cana asked with a sigh as everyone laughed before she blinked as she remembered something. "Link, isn't your house a couple of miles into the woods?" She asked and Link nodded his head as he looked at her curiously.

"How did you manage the walk all the way to the Guild?" She asked and Link tilted his head slightly before bringing his right palm to his left fist.

"Oh, the move you used to beat Erza!" Cana said as she raised one finger up in realization before pausing. "Wait, then why didn't you use it to stay warm at your place?" She asked and Link just looked at her.

"Link probably doesn't have the control to keep it from destroying everything around him, and didn't want to burn his home down." Makarov said and Link nodded his head.

"Let's go, Link." Erza said and Link looked at her before pointing at his mug of hot chocolate. "You can get more later, this is important." She said and Link shook his head before sitting down resolutely and grabbed his mug.

"Poor kid." Macao remarked several seconds later as Erza pulled an unconscious Link to the doors.

"Wonder what he did to get on her bad side this time." Wakabe said as he took of a puff of his cigarette.

"There, that should be good for now." Erza said as she and Link walked out of a clothes store, Link tying up the strings of his pouch in his new green coat and pants. "I really wish you knew how to make another one of those pouches, it would make carrying around my things much easier." Erza said as she looked back at Link.

Link offered a small sigh as he looked up at her then offered a small shrug.

"Well, I suppose it's not truly important." Erza said as they walked down the street. "Now we can go back and get some hot chocolate." She said and Link shot her a small glare as he rubbed the back of his head. "If you had just come along, I wouldn't have had to knock you unconscious." She said and Link looked at her blankly. "Don't take that tone of look with me!" Erza said as she stopped and pointed a finger at Link.

For several seconds they locked eyes before Link cracked a grin. It wasn't long before Erza's stern expression cracked as well and they were both laughing.

"The first one there gets to pay!" Erza declared before taking off, leaving a startled Link behind for a second before he quickly took off after her.

When they were almost there they stopped when they saw Gray standing in the middle of the street with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "Erza, Link, this is your first winter, right?" Gray asked as he knelt down to pick up some snow.

"What of it?" Erza asked somewhat curiously and Gray's smirk widened slightly.

"Think fast!" Gray yelled as he suddenly threw a snowball at Link.

Link, taken by surprise, could only duck down low enough for the snowball to narrowly miss him, instead knocking his green cap off his head.

"Heh, as quick as ever." Gray said as Link slowly turned around to look at his cap, his ears hanging low and twitching slightly.

"Gray, what is the meaning of this?" Erza demanded but Gray just crossed his arms.

"It's a snowball fight, a competition where all you can do is throw snowballs at the other person till they give up." Gray said and Erza blinked as she brought her hand to her chin thoughtfully and looked down.

"I remember reading about this in a book once." Erza said before she looked up and nodded. "Very well, your challenge is accepted." She said and Gray looked over at Link before blinking to see him gone.

"Heh, looks like Link knows better than to accept a challenge like this from an ice mage." Gray said and Erza blinked before looking back.

"Link?" Erza called out, confused that Link had just left without saying, or at least indicating, he was leaving.

A second later a huge snowball, easily ten feet in diameter, rolled around a corner, pushed along by Link.

"Link?" Erza said in surprise as Link stopped rolling the snow boulder.

"What the hell?" Gray said as his smirk quickly vanished while Link crouched down and put his hands underneath the snow boulder.

"Hup." Link said as he picked up the large snowball with almost no apparent effort then turned to look at Gray as he held it over his head. "Never touch the cap." Link said, his face dead serious, and Erza quickly jumped out of the way as Gray stared with wide eyes. "HAAA!" Link yelled as he threw the snow boulder at Gray, who snapped out of his shock with barely enough time to get his arms up defend himself.

"... This is all from a snowball fight?" Makarov asked with a disbelieving expression as he looked at a moderately bandaged Gray; Link and Erza standing on either side of him.

"More like a snow massacre." Gray grumbled to himself.

"After Gray hit Link's cap, Link went a little overboard." Erza said and Link rubbed the back of his head.

"I think maybe I should be the one to show them how to fun in winter." Cana said and Gray looked at her indignantly. "Unless of course you'd like to be in the hospital next time." She added and Gray paused before looking away as he put his hands behind his head.

"Tch, whatever." Gray grumbled as Link looked at Cana curiously.

"There's more than just snowball fights, come on." Cana said with a wide smile but Link shook his head before he walked over to the Guild Board.

"Link, this is your first winter, right?" Makarov asked and Link stopped to look back with a nod. "Why don't you take the time to relax and enjoy it?" He asked but Link shook his head. "Are you in that much of a hurry?" Makarov asked and Link continued to look at him steadily while Gray and Cana looked on in confusion, Erza looking to the side unhappily.

"I have to get back." Link said and Makarov locked eyes with him before giving a small sigh.

"You're far too serious, Link." Makarov said before drinking some of his hot chocolate. "It's important to build memories while you're still young, taking time off now and then isn't a crime." He said but Link only shook his head.

"I think it sounds like a good idea." Erza said and Link looked over at her before hesitating as she looked at him hopefully. "I've never played in the snow before, and it won't hurt to take one or two days off, right?" She asked and Link continued to look at her before smiling and nodded his head in agreement.

"Looks like Link can't say no to his girlfrien- urk!" Gray started to say before freezing as Erza glared at him with glowing eyes, her hands on her saber.

"Let's go!" Cana said quickly as she ran to the door and Gray quickly took off after, Link and Erza not far behind.

At the end of the day all four of them were back in the Guild, all of them but Gray of shivering slightly as they enjoyed some hot chocolate.

"So, what did you two think?" Cana asked and Erza gave a small grin as she recalled building snowmen and sledding, as well as a more tame snowball fight.

"It was certainly fun." Erza said before drinking some hot chocolate.

"You two certainly picked up on everything quickly." Gray said as he drank some cold soda.

"So, I guess you'll be back to work tomorrow?" Cana asked and Erza nodded her head.

"I found a job that-"

"I..." Link said before trailing off and all three of them looked at him in surprise. "I... would like to play some more tomorrow..." Link trailed off as he kept looking down at his chocolate milk, a small look of embarrassment on his face.

Erza's expression went from surprise to a gentle smile. "That sounds fun." She said and Link looked at her with a small smile before drinking some of his hot chocolate, its warmth amplifying what was already spreading from his heart.

* * *

Everyone have a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	13. Deliora Revived

Chapter Eleven

Link ducked under a slash from one of the masked fighters before retaliating with a kick to his stomach, sending the man plowing back into several of his companions. "Link, this is odd." Erza said from the other side of the group, moving in a tan blur, and Link nodded his head once before blocking another slash from a different masked fighter.

"I don't think any of these guys are mages at all!" Lucy exclaimed as moved her whip quickly to keep a group of them back long enough for a man with crab legs coming from his back to blur through them, his pair of scissors snapping at a furious pace. "Thanks, Cancer!" She said and Cancer quickly turned and used his legs to deflect a pair of fighters' attacks.

"I don't think I can fight seriously like this." Happy said with a small sigh as he stood beside Lucy, making her look down at him incredulously.

"Happy, get Lucy far back." Link suddenly said, making Lucy and Happy look at him in surprise before Happy suddenly launched up and grabbed Lucy.

"Aye, sir!" Happy yelled as he flew back quickly, taking Lucy by surprise at the sudden motion.

Cancer looked back as he snipped furiously before blocking another attack when Erza suddenly appeared beside him and grabbed his left arm, now only holding one short sword. "Let's go." She said before taking off.

"Ebiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Cancer yelled in surprise as he was hauled by Erza while Link gave one last slash before disappearing in a green flash to reappear in front of Happy and Lucy, Erza and Cancer showing up a second later.

"GET THEM!" Several of the still conscious masked fighters yelled at the same time and the whole group, now down to a little over three dozen charged at them when Link suddenly pointed his palm at them. An instant later a blue crystal pyramid formed over the masked fighters, making them look around in shock. "Wha… what the hell! ?" One of them yelled before he noticed Link already walking towards the ruins. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY!" The man roared before charging at the crystal and slashing down as hard as he could.

The blade merely bounced off and the man's mask slammed into the crystal, stunning him as he staggered back.

"Th-this is Link's Nayru's Embrace!" Lucy said in surprise, her eyes wide as she looked at the large pyramid.

"To be precise, Link combined it with his crystals to minimize the damage we would have to deal to them and keep them out of the way." Erza said as she Ex-Equipped her Flight Armor and Re-Quipped her normal armor before she walked after Link.

_So all those times he would disappear and reappear… along with her constantly moving about… it was just to keep us in one place long enough for him to find good places to put crystals down?_ One of them realized in surprise before taking off his mask and charging to the edge. "NO, YOU CAN'T STOP US NOW!" He yelled as slammed his hands against the crystal. "NOT WHEN WE'RE THIS CLOSE!" He all but begged, making Link and Erza look back before their eyes widened slightly.

_Those beads…_ Link thought as he took in the young man's dark skin and hair interwoven with blue beads.

"These people are from Brago." Erza said and Lucy between them in surprise.

"Y-you mean the people from the village in Gray's story?" Lucy asked and Erza nodded her head before she looked at Link, who looked slightly troubled before he started to walk forward when the ground started to shake.

**_Gray and Natsu_**

Gray's face showed nothing but icy determination as magical power radiated from him, his legs spaced out for balance and his crossed out in front of him at full extension forming an X as they crossed each other. _Link… Erza… and you too, Natsu._ Gray thought as he prepared to unleash his spell, cracks forming all over his body.

"ICED SHELL!" Gray yelled as he started to move his arms across each other in a fast, swiping motion. Before he could complete the motion however, Natsu suddenly punched him hard in the face; sending him flying a few feet where he landed roughly on the ground. "Natsu, what the hell are you doing! ?" Gray demanded as he glared at Natsu.

"I was about to ask you the same thing!" Natsu yelled as he glared back at Gray. "You don't just barge into the middle of a fight and talk about taking responsibility and all that." He declared before he gestured at himself with his thumb. "This is my show!"

Gray just looked at Natsu in surprise for a few seconds. "S-show?" He was finally able to ask and Natsu's hand became a fist.

"I'll take care of him!" Natsu declared firmly, no compromise in his gaze.

"Wha… didn't I ask you to let me take care of him! ?" Gray demanded as he got to his feet.

"Did I ever say, "Sure, go ahead."?" Natsu asked mockingly and Gray's face tightened as he grabbed Natsu's scarf.

"I HAVE TO END THIS WITH LEON!" Gray roared at Natsu. "EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE FOR IT, I'M GOING TO END IT!" Gray roared and Natsu's face suddenly tightened in anger as he grabbed Gray's arm.

"So you're gonna end this by dying?" Natsu demanded angrily as his grip on Gray's arm tightened. "Stop running away like a coward." He said and Gray looked at him in surprise when the ground suddenly started to shake, making them both look around in surprise.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!" Natsu roared as the room slowly tilted before it was set straight again. "ALL MY HARD WORK!" He complained as he slammed his foot against the ground.

"The moonlight can once again hit Deliora…" Gray said as he looked around somewhat nervously but mostly angrily.

"Sorry to disturb you." Zarti said as he calmly walked into the room through the same hole Gray had made. Zarti looked around before quickly running up to Leon. "The sun has just set, so I decided it would be best to get the ruins back to normal." He said and Leon looked down at him in surprise.

"So it was you." Leon said and Zarti nodded his head, his wide smile on his face.

"Who, or what, is he?" Gray asked but Natsu's focus was set completely on the man who had just ruined all his hard work.

"After all that time I spent to tilt them…" Natsu complained before suddenly stomping the ground. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT!" Natsu demanded angrily and Zarti looked over at him.

"Ho ho ho." Zarti laughed in amusement at Natsu's expression.

"I SAID HOW DID YOU DO THAT!" Natsu roared with all his might.

"Well then…" Zarti said before turning around and running off to where he entered. "I'll go and start the Moon Drip ritual." He said with an amused smirk.

_Ig… ignored?_ Natsu thought in shock before his eyebrow started to twitch. "THAT'S IT!" Natsu roared, flames shooting from his mouth. "I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!" He roared as he chased after Zarti.

"Natsu!" Gray yelled in surprise and Natsu looked back, rage still in his eyes.

"I'M GONNA GIVE THIS MASK WEARING BASTARD THE ASS WHOOPING OF A DOZEN LIFETIMES!" Natsu roared angrily. "YOU TAKE CARE OF LEON!" He declared and Gray looked at him before his expression calmed and he nodded his head. "Don't you dare shame the name any further, got it!" Natsu said as he turned back around. "And I'm not talking about yours." He said and Gray nodded his head.

"I know." Gray said as he turned to face Leon.

"Fairy Tail's!" They both said firmly at the same time.

Leon, who had watched all this with his cold expression, gave a small sigh when things had been settled. "What a noisy bunch." Leon said with a small shake of his head.

"Leon," Gray said and Leon looked at him almost curiously. "Earlier… did you expect Natsu was going to stop me from using Iced Shell on you?" Gray asked and Leon smirked slightly.

"Hardly, I never even thought that he could even get close to that much magical power." Leon said before bringing one hand up to indicate the ruins. "But I knew I would be rescued even if you used it, so that's why I said to go ahead." He said and Gray looked down.

"That's right… Iced Shell is useless here after all." Gray said with a small sigh. "I was too rash in using that spell." He said, already his mind going through the implications if Natsu hadn't stopped him.

"So, do you still intend to fight me?" Leon asked; his smirk widening as he crossed his arms. "You know you can't possibly defeat-"

"Leon, let's stop." Gray suddenly said as he locked eyes with Leon.

"What!" Leon asked in surprise as he looked at Gray, his smirk melting into a shocked expression.

"Give up on Deliora." Gray said and Leon's expression slowly recovered from his shock.

"What's this…" Leon said as his smirk came back. "First a threat, and now a persuasion. Does your Guild have a first rate dentist that managed to pull your fangs out?" He asked condescendingly.

"Leon... Ur is alive." Gray said and Leon's eyes went wide again in shock. "Iced Shell is a spell that transforms the caster's body into ice." He said before looking to the side. "The ice that sealed Deliora back then… the ice you're trying to melt now… IT'S UR!" Gray yelled and Leon slowly walked towards Gray, his face still full of shock. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner… but I promised Ur." Gray said as he looked down.

_"If he were to learn I'd become the ice, I bet he'd spend his entire life trying to undo the spell."_ Gray heard Ur tell him even as her body began to disappear.

"Gray…" Leon said as he stopped a couple of feet away from Gray.

"So please…" Gray said as he looked back at Leon. "Let's just sto- urg!" Gray started to say before he suddenly coughed up blood.

"I already know all that." Leon said as he smirked manically, holding his ice sword after impaling Gray through the stomach. "You're wasting your breath." He said as the sword disappeared into cold air. "That isn't Ur, just some useless scraps of ice." He said even as Gray collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily as he held his wounded stomach.

"You… you knew…" Gray asked as he blood leaked from his stomach and back on the frozen ground.

"Don't tell me actually believed Ur is still alive as that ice." Leon said coldly before laughing maniacally. "Grow up! All that's around Deliora, around my destiny, is nothing but some worthless scraps of ice!" Leon yelled and Gray's eyes burned.

"You… you knew…" Gray said through clenched teeth as he slowly forced himself up, blood oozing from his mouth due to his internal injuries. "Yet you still… did all this!" Gray demanded before coughing up more blood.

"What of it?" Leon asked with his smirk still in place and Gray's face tightened further with rage.

"You… BASTARD!" Gray roared as he suddenly launched up to punch Leon in the face.

"WHAT!" Leon yelled in surprise as he barely landed on his feet, still skidding back from the impact. "How can you still move with that injury!" Leon demanded as he stood shakily, trying to recover.

"That was it…" Gray said coldly as he glared at Leon. "I truly wanted to save you, Leon… but you just shattered that desire." Gray said and Leon looked at him in confusion. In an instant Gray created an ice bow with three arrows that he quickly fired at Leon that impacted with bone shattering force.

"GAH!" Leon cried out in pain as he was sent flying back before spinning on the ground to regain his balance. The second he was up again, Gray's foot slammed into his face without mercy, sending him further back to land on his side. Without hesitating Gray kicked Leon in the stomach hard enough to send him up into the air only to be hit with a right cross and then a staggering head butt that had him sliding all the way to the wall.

Leon slowly stood, blood leaking from a broken nose and from his mouth, his face the picture of shock. "I can't be… bleeding…" Leon said before his face tightened with rage. "BECAUSE OF GRAY!" He roared before turning towards Gray and putting his palm up towards. "ICE MAKE: SNOW DRAGON!" Leon yelled and a large dragon of ice instantly formed before flying to snatch Gray up in its jaws.

"GWAAAAHHHH!" Gray yelled in pain before looking at the snow dragon and slamming his elbow hard into its snout, shattering the head and allowing him to roll on the ground to get distance from the large ice shards.

"I don't want to waste my magic power on you…" Leon said with a maniacal gleam in his eyes. "After this, I've gotta be ready for my battle with Deliora." Leon said and Gray slowly picked himself up.

"Haa… Haa… I won't… let you…" Gray said, panting with the effort, and Leon laughed as he threw away his cape.

"Stop struggling already, no one can stop it now." Leon said but Gray continued to force his body up.

"Haa… Haa…You're… wrong…" Gray said as he slowly stood up. "I will… stop you…" Gray said as he rocked on his feet before looking at Leon with a wide smile. "And Natsu… will stop… Zarti." He said before his face hardened as he charged in at Leon again.

**_Natsu_**

"WAIT UP YOU MASKED BASTARD!" Natsu roared as he chased after Zarti. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT!" He demanded when Zarti just kept running.

"Ho ho ho." Zarti laughed in amusement before suddenly turning his upper body slightly and raised his right hand to the ceiling. Almost immediately a portion of it started to crumble and then collapse on Natsu.

Natsu quickly looked up at the rubble in surprise before his expression tightened. "This…" He declared before he jumped up. "Won't hurt me!" He declared as he kicked the rubble away with a flame-empowered kick, shattering the larger chunks that would've crushed him.

As Natsu landed lightly, Zarti stopped and turned around completely as he moved right palm in a semicircle towards his body and upwards before stopping near his face. Almost instantly the rubble flew back up into the air to reform back into the ceiling as if it had never been broken, making Natsu's eyes go wide in shock. "W-what?" Natsu asked in surprise as he looked at the ceiling.

"As you can see, I repaired the ruins like this." Zarti said as Natsu continued to look up at the ceiling in awe.

"Wh-what magic is this?" Natsu asked, needing to know what to call a magic he had never even heard of before.

"It a type of the "Lost Magic"." Zarti explained with a wide smile. "A magic obliterated from history due to its immense power grave side effects." He said and Natsu asked and Zarti chuckled. "Like your Dragon Slayer…" Zarti trailed off and Natsu looked down to see Zarti gone.

Natsu blinked a couple of times before his eyes bulged in his sockets. "HE DISAPPEARED!" Natsu yelled in surprise before looking around hurriedly. "Damnit, where did that bastard go!" Natsu yelled in confusion before taking off further into the ruins.

Deep in the ground, far under the ruins in a large cavern, the mighty demon called Deliora stood. The only thing stopping it from tearing apart all that stood before it, behind it, and around it, was the block of ice that had once been Gray's and Leon's teacher encasing it in its icy grip.

Zarti smiled widely as he looked up at the monstrous thing, slowly walking up to the block of ice. "It is time…" He said confidently. "Gotcha." Zarti suddenly heard and one could imagine his eyes going wide in surprise even under his mask.

"BURN!" Natsu roared as he rocketed down at Zart, his whole body engulfed in flames. "JUST BURN!" He roared before he slammed into the ground as Zarti narrowly jumped away in time.

"Ho ho ho!" Zarti laughed in amusement before he landed on a rock higher up from the ground. "What a wonderful thing to say." He declared before his expression, what could be seen, showed his curiosity. "Tell me, how did you find me here?" He asked and Natsu glared up at him.

"My sense of smell is excellent." Natsu said before scratching his nose. "By the way, you smell like a woman's perfume." He said and Zarti looked at him in surprise before grabbing his sides.

"Ho ho ho ho ho!" Zarti laughed in amusement before quickly settling back to his customary smirk. "Would you mind leaving me be?" He asked before gesturing to Deliora. "You see… I really have to revive Deliora."

"Don't bother, it's already too late." Natsu said confidently and Zarti looked at him in amusement.

"Oh my; and why would that be?" Zarti asked condescendingly and Natsu smirked.

"Simple, Gray will take care of Leon." Natsu declared as he pointed at Zarti. "And I'll take care of you, enough to last a dozen lifetimes." Natsu said simply, as if it should have been obvious.

"Is that so?" Zarti asked before chuckling. "Then tell me… who's left to take care of that?" He asked before a purple light flooded the room.

Natsu's eyes went wide as he slowly looked back to see a thin beam hitting the ice. "N… NO WAY!" Natsu yelled in shock as he turned around. "IS SOMEONE HOLDING THE RITUAL UP THERE!" Natsu roared in confusion.

Indeed, up at the top of the ruins, knelt Toby. "Ooohn…" He said each time he bowed, calling upon the power of the Moon Drip.

"Moon Drip's effect is weak with only one worshiper, but to tell the truth…" Zarti trailed off as his smirk grew. "We've already collected enough moonlight." He said before a faint hissing sound was heard. "See… it's already started." He said as the ice began to rapidly melt.

"DAMNIT!" Natsu yelled before turning away from Zarti. "I MESSED UP BIG TIME NOW; I GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT GUY!" He roared as he started to take off. Suddenly the ground underneath him became a deep pit, making him look down in shock as he fell in. "SHIIIIIIT!" Natsu roared as he fell.

"What's this… running away?" Zarti asked and Natsu glared up at him from inside the pit. "I won't let you though." He said and Natsu quickly climbed back out. "It was a costly mistake to come after me, Salamander-kun." Zarti said with a wide smirk as the ice continued to melt.

"Damnit…" Natsu said through gritted teeth as he looked between the two. _Come on Lucy, Happy; hurry and do something about that guy._ Natsu thought before turning to glare at Zarti. "KARYUU NO TEKKEN!" Natsu roared as he launched at Zarti, flames surrounding his fist.

"Woah!" Zarti said as he narrowly avoided the punch before jumping up to avoid a flame empowered kick. "Are you sure you want to use your flames this close to the ice?" He asked as he landed lightly far away from Natsu. "You'll only accelerate its melting." He said before flinching as he narrowly avoided a downward spin kick from Natsu, rocks pelting his mask.

"That's funny." Natsu said with no humor in his voice. "I'd think you want the ice to melt faster." He said as he glared at Zarti. "Besides, I've got two more nakama here that will make sure that guy is stopped, so all I have to do is finish on taking you out." Natsu declared and Zarti grinned as he looked at Natsu.

"Ho ho hooo…" Zarti chuckled softly as the dust from the impact cleared, Deliora's head still frozen but his upper arms now free. "Your quick resolve, ability to adapt, and faith in your friends surprise me." Zarti said before raising his hands up. "But your friends are being held back by my men, they can't stop this in time." He said right before the Moon Drip winked out.

**_Gray_**

Gray and Leon both glared at each other, both barely able to stand but neither willing to back down from a grudge that had been building for the last ten years, when suddenly the ruins started shaking.

"The ruins are shaking again…" Gray said as he looked around in surprise.

"Heh… the Moon Drip ceremony has started; Deliora's ice is melting even as we speak." Leon said and Gray looked at him with wide eyes.

_Ur…_ Gray thought as Leon turned around.

"Looks like I win, you couldn't stop me after all." Leon said as he walked away before suddenly turning around and pointing his palm at Gray to shoot a dozen ice eagles at him. "How long I've waited for this!" He declared as the first volley slammed into Gray. "For ten years I've gathered information, gathered allies, until I learned about the one place that could undo Iced Shell!" He said as he made more ice eagles. "Galuna Island; a place where one can gather moonlight that will allow you to break even the strongest spells." Leon said as he sent the next volley flying in at Gray. "We brought Deliora from Brago three years ago, and now everything is coming together." He said as Gray put his fist against his palm to create a sphere of ice that shielded him from the ice eagles.

"So you've wasted all this time on such a ridiculous thing." Gray said calmly as the sphere of ice shattered around him and Leon's smirk disappeared.

"Ridiculous?" Leon asked before his face contorted with rage, both of them now so caught up they didn't notice that the ruins had stopped shaking. "HOW CAN YOU, WHO WASTED THE PAST TEN YEARS IN SOME GUILD, SAY THAT!" Leon demanded angrily.

"I just believed in Ur's words." Gray said and Leon froze. "'In the western countries, you'll find tons of mages stronger than I am.', remember?" Gray asked as glared at Leon and Leon's eyes tightened slightly. "Fairy Tail is where I wound up, and I couldn't believe how many powerful mages I saw." Gray said before his look became a glare. "And now, I find my senpai has been spending all this time trying to kill Ur." He said and the manic light came back to Leon's eyes.

"Who cares, I've lived for nothing but this day." Leon said before launching towards Gray. "THINK ABOUT IT, THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SURPASS OUR DEAD TEACHER IS BY DEFEATING THE ONE THING EVEN SHE COULDN'T BEAT!" Leon roared as the head of an ice lion appeared over his hand before punching out to send an ice lion at Gray.

"Your aspiration is admirable." Gray said as he moved to dodge the ice lion while putting his right fist over his left palm. "BUT YOU THINK SOMEONE SO BLIND CAN ACTUALLY SURPASS UR! TRY AGAIN IN ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS!" Gray yelled as he formed an ice sword before swiftly cutting Leon in half.

Leon's eyes went wide before his whole body cracked then shattered into ice, and this time Gray's eyes went wide. "Ice Make…" Leon said as he appeared behind Gray. "SNOW TIGER!" Leon yelled and a large tiger made of ice formed in mid-pounce at Gray.

Gray looked at it in shock before quickly jumping up as he put his right fist over his left palm. "Ice Make: PRISON!" Gray yelled as a large cage of ice formed over the ice tiger, trapping it inside. "Is that it, Leon?" Gray asked as he jumped down then looked back at the tiger. "Such a pitiful beast." He said and Leon's eyes tightened.

"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!" Leon declared angrily as he made the tiger slam against the icy bars. "I'll just smash your pathetic cage and…!" Leon started to say before stopping in surprise as the cage held against the ice tiger.

"One-handed molding is unbalanced, remember?" Gray asked as he turned to face Leon. "That's why you can't use your full power when it matters most." He said as closed his eyes and got into his stance. "Ice Make…" Gray said as Leon's eyes slowly widened in denial and rage. "ICE CANNON!" Gray roared as he formed a large cannon of ice that fired a blast of magical power at Leon.

"GAAAH!" Leon cried out in pain as he was slammed into the thick stone walls of the ruins.

"That's what Ur taught us." Gray said as the smoke cleared to show Leon barely standing as he glared at Gray.

"Gr…" Leon started to say before he coughed up blood. "a…y…" He said as he slowly fell to the ground before Gray's eardrums nearly shattered.

**_Link, Erza, Lucy, and Happy_**

As soon as they saw the ruins were no longer tilted, Link and Erza immediately took off to the ruins. "Lucy, move!" Erza shouted back and after jerking Lucy immediately took off.

"Thank you, Cancer!" Lucy shouted back, both thanking and dismissing him.

"Anytime –ebi." Cancer said with a small bow before disappearing.

Link and Erza quickly pulled away from Lucy, making her grit her teeth to try and keep up, when Happy suddenly picked her up. "Happy!" Lucy said in surprise at the sudden pickup before looking back at him.

"We have to hurry." Happy said determinedly and Lucy looked at him before nodding her head.

"Link, what could've righted the ruins so quickly?" Erza asked, although she knew he was most likely thinking the same thing. The steady movement was similar, it was almost as if someone had used magic like his Song of Time to reverse the damage.

"I've never heard of another magic like what I play with my Ocarina." Link said quietly as he glanced at Erza, but she shook her head to show that she had never heard of such a magic either.

"Erza, Link-san!" Lucy suddenly called out in desperation as they ran into the ruins, the moon high in the sky, and they looked back at her before looking at where she was pointing to see a purple beam coming down from the moon on the other side of the ruins. "It's the Moon Drip! They're trying to free Deliora!" She screamed and both their eyes tightened before Link Equipped his Golden Gauntlets.

Erza immediately jumped up and landed on his right palm with one foot before Link heaved up to send her flying over the ruins towards the beam. Lucy's eyes went wide even as Link jumped up before disappearing then reappearing in green flashes. "Let's go!" Happy declared as he quickly flew after them.

When Happy caught up to them Erza was standing over a down Toby, the Moon Drip already gone, with Link standing a few feet away from her. "Good aim, Link, as always." Erza said with a small sigh to which Link nodded with a small sigh of relief.

"YOU FOOLS!" Toby suddenly yelled as he looked up, making Link wince from the volume as Erza, Lucy, and Happy looked at him in surprise. "YOU'RE ALREADY TOO LATE!" He yelled before a loud roar shook the ruins, making everyone grab their ears in pain except Link.

After the first roar everyone looked at Link in worry to see his face frozen in shock and pain. "Link?" Erza called out in worry before blood started dripping from his ears as he slowly collapsed to his knees. Before anyone could move another roar shook the ruins, making them freeze once more.

**_Natsu_**

"It's here…" Zarti said as Natsu knelt on the ground, his hands over his ears. "It's finally awakened." Zarti said, somehow unaffected by the loud, piercing roar.

"DELIORA IS REVIVED!" He yelled in triumph as the ice around Deliora's head and upper torso shattered, allowing it to move its torso for the first time in ten years.

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	14. Thank You, Teacher

Chapter Twelve

_Damnit! _Gray thought as he ran through the ruins. _Damnit! _Gray mentally yelled when he finally found the stairs to head down._ There's only one thing to do now... _Gray thought as he ran, his eyes filled with cold determination.

_**Natsu**_

"DAMNIT!" Natsu roared in frustration as he struggled to his feet, shaking off the effects of Deliora's roar on his enhanced hearing. "I can't afford to play around any- GAH!" Natsu started to yell before getting slammed in the face with jade orb. The jade orb quickly turned back around for another attack on Natsu. "Grrr... BRING IT ON!" Natsu roared as fire surrounded his fist before punching the jade orb, shattering it. Natsu grinned fiercely before the pieces flew back together to reform the orb. "It fixed itself! ?" Natsu yelled in surprise before he got hit on the left side of his head.

"Ho ho ho ho." Zarti chuckled again as he brought the jade orb around again. "I can manipulate the crystal's "time"." He said and Natsu gritted his teeth as he landed on the ground before dropping to one knee. "In other words, I merely turned back its "time" to a point where it wasn't broken." Zarti said and Natsu's eyes went wide.

"That magic…" Natsu said as he stood back up. "So you can turn back the flow of time just like Link?" He asked and Zarti's face showed no small amount of surprise. "SHIT!" Natsu yelled as he realized what he just said. "Damnit, Link hates it when his magic is talked about to people outside of Fairy Tail!" Natsu yelled as a small amount of panic appeared in his eyes before he snapped his fingers. "Hey, I'm gonna have to beat you up even worse so you can't tell anyone what I just said, that way Link won't find out!" He said before charging forward.

"Hoo… so there's someone else that has the Arc of Time…?" Zarti asked as Natsu launched up at him. "But I don't just have things flow back…" He said as his smirk returned. "How about I show you what happens when I fast forward the crystal's "time" to the future?" He asked before the jade orb shot out in a green blur.

"Eh?" Natsu said in surprise when the orb zoomed past him before coming back to him in the back. "UGAAH!" Natsu yelled as the orb slammed into him continuously from different angles before lashing out with flaming fist, shattering it.

"Useless." Zarti said as the pieces all came back together before the orb him on top of the head.

"DAMNIT!" Natsu roared in frustration as he turned to deliver flame-empowered punch when the orb stopped just out of reach. "It stopped! He said in surprise before glaring at it closely in irritation.

"Indeed, I can even stop its time." Zarti said with a wide smile before bringing the orb back to him.

_If this magic is like Link's then… _Natsu mused before looking up at Zarti. "This doesn't work on humans… right?" Natsu asked as the ice around Deliora continued to melt.

"My, my… aren't you observant?" Zarti asked with his smile still in place. "Actually, it doesn't work on any creature; which is why I cannot undo the ice around Deliora, which is in fact Ur." He said while Deliora continued to struggle against the ice.

"You know, I just don't get you." Natsu suddenly said as he pointed at Zarti, making him look at Natsu in surprise. "You want to revive Deliora so you can beat it… it makes sense for Lyon since it's his idea, but what about his comrades?" Natsu asked and Zarti slowly lowered his arm.

"No clue, I only recently joined." Zarti said and Natsu's eyes narrowed slightly.

"So what about you?" Natsu asked as he wiped some blood from his face. "What is your true goal with all this?" He asked and Zarti was quiet for several seconds.

"Ho ho ho… it seems I'm no match for you." Zarti said before looking up at Deliora. "Reitei-sama… that ignorant brat, he is no match for Deliora. There's no way he could possibly defeat it." He announced as Deliora growled and struggled before finally breaking its arms free from the ice.

"SO WHAT, ARE YOU GONNA BEAT IT THEN! ?" Natsu demanded but Zarti only chuckled.

"Of course not." Zarti said before smiling widely. "I just want to make it mine." He said and Natsu looked at him in shock. "It may be an immortal monster, but there's bound to be ways to manipulate it." Zarti said as his smile went sinister. "To have such a creature under my command, now wouldn't that be incredible?" He asked fervently.

"Meh… how boring." Natsu said with a disappointed look on his face and Zarti looked at him in surprise. "Can't believe I wasted my time asking." He said and Zarti looked at him coolly. "I thought that, just maybe, you had a burning passion to accomplish something!" Natsu said excitedly.

"Ho ho ho… you just don't understand yet." Zarti laughed in amusement as he shook his head. "But there are times… when you'll need "power"…" He said and Natsu's face tightened.

"When that time comes…" Natsu said as he resummoned the flames around his hands. "I'll trust in my own power and the power of my comrades." He said before the flames around his hands blazed higher. "The power of Fairy Tail mages."

"Vanity will ruin your body." Zarti said before raising one hand up over his head. "Ceiling, accelerate your time and crumble." He said and the ceiling immediately started to shake and fall apart.

"Each of you, vandalizing this island for the stupidest reasons…" Natsu growled out before launching forward. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

**_Link, Erza, Lucy, and Happy_**

"Link!" Erza yelled as she shook the shell-shocked Link, hoping to get a response from him. "Link, are you okay! ?" She yelled and Link blinked before slowly looking at her. "Thank goodness… you're okay…" She said before freezing when she noticed the confused look on Link's face.

_What? _Link thought in a daze as he saw Erza's lips moving. _Why can't I hear her? _He wondered before noticing something warm and sticky coming from his ears and slowly brought one gloved hand up to wipe it and look to see what it was. _Blood? _He asked himself in surprise. _Why are my ears bleeding? _Link wondered before his eyes widened slightly as he remembered what had happened. _That's right… a roar… _He thought before looking back at Erza, who was still mouthing words he couldn't hear.

"Damnit, hopefully his eardrums weren't shattered." Erza said as Lucy slowly walked up.

"Is Link-san okay?" Lucy asked before Link suddenly started to stand and almost immediately stumbled.

"Link!" Erza said in surprise as she quickly caught him.

_As I thought… my sense of balance was destroyed because of the sound. _Link thought as he tried to think past the dull buzz that dominated his hearing. "Erza… stop the demon." Link said weakly as he looked at her and Erza looked at him before shaking her head.

"It'll be okay, Gray and Natsu are in there." Erza said before wincing as Link's grip, still enhanced by the Golden Gauntlets, tightened slightly.

"Students learn from their Masters." Link said almost desperately, knowing what Erza had said by reading her lips. "What did Gray learn from his about how to stop Deliora?" He asked and Erza's eyes went wide as Lucy took a small step back in shock.

"You don't think…?" Erza asked but all Link could do was look at her uncertainly, for in all honesty his brain was still partially scrambled from the roar. "Tch… Lucy, look after Link." Erza said and Lucy nodded her head before quickly walking up to support Link while he Ex-Equipped his Golden Gauntlets and Requipped his normal leather gloves. "Happy, lead me to Deliora." She said and Happy immediately saluted.

"Aye, sir!" Happy said before flying off into the ruins, Erza hot on his trail.

As they left, Lucy looked at Link to see him watching Erza run off before he looked over at Toby and narrowed his eyes.

Lucy's eyes immediately went wide as she gulped before steeling herself. "Link, you shouldn't do anything right now." She said but to no avail as a green aura appeared around the both of them. The two of them disappeared then reappeared a foot in front of a surprised Toby, and Lucy looked around in surprise at the sudden movement.

"Why are you trying to revive that demon?" Link asked as he looked down at Toby. Toby seemed to wilt under Link's glare and looked to the side before he took a deep breath.

**_Natsu_**

"This is your last chance!" Natsu yelled as he flew up at Zarti before the flames around his right fist grew exponentially. "LEAVE THIS ISLAND RIGHT NOW!"Natsu roared before he punched out at the confident looking Zarti.

"I just need to- !" Zarti started to say before he was forced to jump back to avoid the wave of flames that erupted from Natsu's fist. _Those just aren't regular flames! _He thought in surprise as the dust created from the destroyed rock blew past him. _In some sense, they're actually alive! _Zarti realized as he prepared for Natsu's next attack.

"Oh yeah, I just remembered something." Natsu suddenly said and Zarti looked around in surprise before looking up to see Natsu landing on a rock on the ceiling. "I can manipulate the future too." He said with a feral grin as he clenched his right fist.

"HUH! ?" Zarti yelled in shock before Natsu leapt at him, his grin turning to a savage fury as flames engulfed his fist.

"IN ONE SECOND, YOU'RE GONNA GO FLYING!" Natsu declared as he reared his fist back. "KARYUU NO TEKKEN!" Natsu roared as he punched Zarti hard in the mask, sending him flying to the ground.

"Well done… Salamander-kun…" Zarti said weakly before grinning widely. "But too far too little, far too late." He said before the rest of the ice around Deliora shattered into water as Gray ran in.

Gray stopped and looked up at Deliora in shock. _Damnit… _Gray thought before he looked down as he noticed he was standing in knee deep water. _Ur__… _Gray realized sadly as he reached down to scoop some of the water up.

"Gray, there you are!" Natsu yelled when he spotted Gray and quickly ran over to him.

"Natsu." Gray said in a distracted tone, still shaken by the failure to prevent Deliora's revival.

"Deliora's fully revived, now we've got no choice!" Natsu said as pointed behind him at Deliora. "LET'S TAKE IT DOWN!" He yelled with fiery determination.

"Haa… haa… no…" A weak voice behind Gray said and he turned around in surprise to see Lyon crawling toward them. "Let me… haa… do it… haa… to surpass… Ur…" Lyon said weakly yet with a crazed smile on his face.

"HELL NO!" Natsu yelled as he pointed at Lyon. "This is impossible for you, just stay back!" Natsu declared but Lyon ignored him as he looked up at Deliora as it started to walk forward.

"We finally… meet… Deliora…" Lyon said as his smile widened in delight.

_"The strongest mage?" A middle aged man with curly, blonde hair said before looking up contemplatively. "Around here, that'd have to be Ur." He said before looking down at a young Lyon._

_"Ur, huh…" Lyon said with a wide smile on his face. "I wonder if she'll let me be her pupil…" He said speculatively before he gave a small bow of appreciation._

"The only moster… Ur couldn't defeat…" Lyon said as he slowly forced himself up to one knee. "I will… defeat it… here and now…" He said before he gritted his teeth and slowly started to stand. "Ur…" He said as images of his teacher and ultimate goal flashed through his mind. "I will… surpass… you…" Lyon said when he was finally able to get to his feet.

"Lyon…" Gray said before hitting him in the back of his neck, sending Lyon crashing to the ground as Natsu looked at Gray in surprise. "That's enough." He said before walking towards Deliora with icy determination in his eyes. "Leave it to me." He said when he stopped walking and squared his stance while bringing his arms up. "I'll seal Deliora!" Gray said as he crossed his arms and strong magical power immediately exploded out from him once he crossed his arms.

"ICED SHELL!" Lyon yelled as he struggled to get up once more. "STOP IT! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK TO MELT THAT ICE!" Lyon demanded but Gray paid him no heed as focused on Deliora. "I'LL JUST MELT THE ICE ONCE MORE TO CHALLENGE IT AGAIN!" Lyon yelled in desperation.

"This is the only way…" Gray said as he prepared to unleash the spell before Natsu landed in the water in front of him. "Natsu! You're in the way!" Gray yelled and Natsu glanced back at him.

"I stopped you earlier because I didn't want you to die." Natsu said in a calm tone. "Didn't my voice reach you?" He asked and Gray's eyes widened slightly as Natsu looked back at Deliora. "Go ahead and use the spell if you want." He said right as Happy flew into the room.

"Natsu..." Gray said when Deliora suddenly roared and brought one arm up.

"Gray, Natsu, get down!" Erza screamed as she came running in and they both looked back in surprise to see her charging in. She started to Ex-Equip before stopping as they all looked up at Deliora in confusion when it suddenly stopped moving.

After several seconds Deliora's arm suddenly exploded at the elbow, making all their eyes go wide in surprise. "EH! ?" Lyon yelled before cracks started to appear all over Deliora's body.

"Wha..." Gray said as he stepped back in shock. "What's going on?" He asked before Deliora literally fell apart in frozen pieces.

"No..." Lyon said as his hands curled into fists. "It can't be..." He said before he slammed his forehead against the ground as pieces of Deliora fell around them all. "Deliora... was long dead." He said as tears came to his eyes. "For ten years... it was subverted by Ur's ice..." Ur said as Natsu looked up with wide eyes. "I'm no match..." Lyon said, for the first time all malice and coldness leaving his face. "I can't surpass Ur."

"Your teacher is amazing!" Natsu said with an awestruck look as Gray continued to look up where Deliora used to be.

"A truly powerful and kind-hearted mage." Erza said with a kind smile as she looked at Gray and his eyes widened slightly.

_"I'll seal your darkness." Ur said as she looked back at Gray with a kind smile._

Tears slowly started to fall down Gray's eyes as the full impact of Ur's words finally came to him. "Thank you..." Gray said as he brought one hand to cover his eyes as tears continued to fall. "Teacher..." He said as his body shook with his sobs.

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	15. To Destroy the Moon

Chapter Thirteen

"WE DID IT!" Natsu yelled in a celebratory manner as he pumped both fists into the air. "WE COMPLETED AN S-RANK QUEST!" He yelled as Happy jumped into the air.

"AYE!" Happy yelled cheerfully.

"Heh," Gray said with a satisfied smirk as he leaned against a destroyed stalagmite.

They all suddenly froze as they felt intimidating glare of Erza hit them like an avalanche.

_Crap… I actually forgot. _Gray thought as Natsu started to take off before Erza quickly jumped towards him and grabbed his scarf. _Those knuckleheads stole that S-Rank, and I went along with it! _Gray remembered as he gulped nervously.

"While I'm happy to see that you are excited about breaking one of the most important rules of the Guild." Erza said coolly as she kept a firm grip on Natsu's scarf. "The job still isn't complete." She said and they looked at her in confusion, causing her to sigh. "Wasn't the true goal of your job to change back the villagers?" Erza asked and Natsu and Gray looked at each other.

"But we were able to take out Deliora!" Natsu declared but Erza just shook her head as she crossed her arms, making Natsu choke as she pulled his scarf.

"No, the reason for that phenomenon couldn't have been caused by Deliora." Erza said as she closed her eyes thoughtfully before opening them after several seconds. "The Moon Drip's enormous magical power is the cause, so Deliora's collapse couldn't be expected to change the situation, correct?" She asked and after a few seconds Natsu grinned before nodding his head.

"Right!" Natsu said before looking at Happy. "Let's go heal them real quick!" He said and Happy flew up to give Natsu a high five.

"Aye, sir!" Happy said and Gray gave a small sigh of exasperation.

"How?" Gray asked before his eyes widened slightly. "Oi, Lyon." Gray said as he turned around to look at Lyon as he sat against a boulder.

"No clue." Lyon said simply and they looked at him in surprise and disbelief, making him sigh. "We've known about that village ever since we first came here three years ago." He said as he looked down. "Though we've never interfered with them, neither have they visited us." Lyon said and Erza's eyes widened slightly as Natsu and Gray continued to look at him in surprise.

"For three years, they never showed up?" Erza asked and Lyon nodded his head.

"Also, I have some doubts about Moon Drip's effect on humans." He said and Natsu looked at him in disbelief.

"Don't try to say that it's not your fault." Natsu said and Lyon looked at him coolly.

"My allies and I have been basked in that same light for the past three years." Lyon said and Natsu froze as Gray's and Happy's eyes widened slightly in realization. "Be careful, they're hiding something." He said before looking to the side. "Well, I guess from here on it's the Guild's job, right?" He asked before looking up as Erza stepped in front of him.

"That's right. And as the one responsible for the Moon Drip, you'll be coming with me." Erza said as she glared down at him and Lyon's eyes widened slightly against the weight of her presence.

_**Link and Lucy**_

Lucy sat with her arms pulling her legs up to her chest, lost in thought from what she had just heard and worry if everyone was okay, when she suddenly looked over at Link.

Link was currently sitting with his eyes closed and his legs crossed in front of him with his forearms resting on his knees, the middle finger of each hand touching the thumb while the other fingers were extended, and his breathing slow and steady, almost as if he were sleeping.

_How can he be so calm? _Lucy wondered before she gave a small sigh. _The ground stopped shaking and there's no more roars but… what's going on? _Lucy couldn't help but wonder as her head drooped to her knees again.

"LUCY!" Happy yelled as he, Natsu, Gray, Erza, and a bound Lyon walked out from the ruins.

"WHAT! ?" Natsu yelled in surprise as Lucy turned around with a wide smile. "Link was here too! ?" Natsu yelled in surprise and Link's ears twitched as his eyes opened.

"Link was badly hurt by Deliora's roar." Happy said before his eyes went wide as Link smoothly stood up before turning around. "WHAAAAT! ?" Happy yelled in surprise before bringing his hands to cover his mouth.

Link, however, didn't even react to the loud yell, getting surprised looks from Natsu and Gray. "Link-san ate some kind of root." Lucy said in explanation. "His hearing is a little bit better but…" Lucy said with an uncertain shrug as Erza looked around.

"Where did that one mage go?" Erza asked and Lucy pointed at Link.

"Erza; let him return to others, please." Link said and Natsu's and Happy's eyes went wide.

"WHAAAT! ?" Natsu demanded angrily as Erza looked at Link in mild surprise before removing the rope from around Lyon's wrists. "NO WAY, HE'S THE ONE RESPONISIBLE FOR THE VILLAGE BEING DESTROYED!" Natsu roared in protest as Lyon rubbed his wrists.

"What did you learn from the mage you let leave?" Erza asked and Link looked off slightly to the side as he recalled Toby's words.

"_Sherry… Yuka… all of us are victims of Deliora." Toby said shakily. "It killed our families and destroyed our homes…" He said and Lucy's eyes went wide as Link's eyes widened slightly. "After we witnessed Lyon-sama's strength, we knew that he could do it… that he could destroy Deliora and avenge us." Toby said and Link's eyes closed before he motioned for Toby to leave._

"They were seeking a version of justice." Link said before turning around and walking off. "So long as they don't try to destroy the village again, there is no need to attack them." He said and Natsu grumbled before his eyes widened in remembrance.

"That's right, Link, there's something I have to ask you about your magic!" Natsu said before running up to Link as everyone else moved to follow him.

Gray followed for a while before pausing to look back at Lyon.

"What?" Lyon asked and Gray's face softened slightly.

"You should join a Guild." Gray said with a grin and Lyon's eyes widened. "You'll have comrades and rivals… and I'm sure you'll find a new goal." He said and after a couple of seconds Lyon turned away irritably.

"J-just get out here." Lyon said before he walked off and Gray's grin grew a couple of inches before he turned around to catch up to the others.

When everyone got back to the village, all the villagers gathered in front of them to hear the story of what happened at the ruins of the Moon Temple.

"So the ones at the Moon Temple were trying to resurrect a demon?" One of the demonic-looking villagers asked as the entire village stood around the six from Fairy Tail once they were done with their explanation, all of them looking with varying degrees of awe and shock.

"That's correct, though fortunately nothing came of it." Erza said before the Chief suddenly walked forward.

"That's all well and good, hoga, BUT!" The Chief suddenly yelled, making everyone look at him in surprise. "MAGES, WHEN WILL YOU DESTROY THE MOON FOR US? !" He demanded and Lucy took a small step back from the force of his yell with a look of fear on her face.

Right as Gray gave a small sound of annoyance, Erza suddenly stepped forward. "If it's just destroying the moon, there shouldn't be a problem." She said and everyone but Link looked at her in surprise.

"She's… saying something so off the wall so calmly…" Gray said a little nervously while Lucy's jaw nearly hit the ground.

"Aye!" Happy said as he raised on paw in the air.

"But first, there's something I want to confirm." Erza said as she crossed her arms. "You all gained that appearance after the purple moon appeared, right?" She asked and the Chief stepped forward, his massive sideburns swaying with the movement.

"Hoga, to be exact, we only change like this when the moon comes out." He said and several villagers nodded in agreement with him.

"From your story, that started three years ago, correct?" Erza asked as she started walking back and forth with her arms crossed and looking down with a thoughtful expression.

"Yeah…" One villager said as they looked at each other. "That sounds about right." Another one said with a nod of his head.

"However… the Moon Drip ritual has been held daily for three years now." Erza said as she slowly started walking towards a pile of cut grass. "You should've seen a ray of light at the ruins every night." She said before she stepped onto the pile of grass, making Gray's, Natsu's Happy's, and Lucy's eyes go wide as her foot went through the grass before stopping as it landed on a large, blue, crystal-shaped platform.

The four of them looked over at Link, who was already looking at them with a mildly curious expression. Happy immediately pointed at Lucy, making her look at Happy panic-stricken.

"Meaning, that's the most suspicious place on this island." Erza continued on as she walked across the platform to the other side of the hole.

"Does… she not even realize she almost fell in a hole?" One of the villagers asked before Erza suddenly stopped and turned to look at the villagers.

"Why didn't you investigate it?" Erza asked as she put her hands on her hips and all the villagers hesitated before murmuring amongst themselves.

"T…that's because…" The Chief said nervously before strengthening his voice. "It's a tradition to go nowhere near the ruins." He said and everyone looked at the villagers skeptically.

"But the situation was serious, right?" Lucy asked and the villagers looked amongst each other again. "You even had casualties; and seeing how expensive you made the reward…" She trailed off as the villagers started murmuring amongst themselves.

"If we're going to help you, we need the truth." Erza said and the Chief looked to the side before taking a deep breath.

"To tell you the truth… we don't know what's going on either." The Chief said after he looked back at Erza. "We tried to investigate the ruins many times… we truly did." He said before looking down with a confused expression on his face. "We gathered some unfamiliar weapons, I arranged my sideburns… and we went towards the ruins countless times." He said before looking up at them. "But we couldn't get close to it, every time we would just end up back in front of the gate." He said and Natsu and Lucy looked at him in surprise.

"Hmmm…" Erza hummed as she brought her right hand to her chin thoughtfully. After a few seconds she looked at Link, who had his arms crossed and his eyes closed thoughtfully.

After a couple of seconds he opened his eyes to look at her and she raised one eyebrow curiously at him, to which he nodded his head.

"Very well then." Erza said with a nod of her head and Lucy sweat-dropped.

"Somehow I feel they just had a long conversation with just that…" She said and Gray nodded his head.

"From the way it went, Erza asked Link if he had reached the same conclusion she did." Gray said and Lucy looked at him in surprise, to which he shrugged. "You get used to it." He said and Lucy's jaw dropped.

Far outside of the village, on the branch of a large tree, Zarti sat with a huge bump on his cheek and couldn't help but grin in admiration. "Maharathi and Titania… to think those two already have it figured out." He said as he leaned back against the trunk to enjoy the show.

"Everyone," Erza said and she immediately had everyone's attention. "Link and I will now destroy the moon." She said and everyone's eyes went wide while Gray's and Lucy's jaw dropped as they stared at the two, and to their further shock they could see no hint of doubt on Erza's nor Link's face about her declaration.

"COOOL!" Natsu declared with a wide smile as Erza held out her right hand and Equipped a three-bladed spear, the two other blades resting to the base of the first to form an edged cross guard, with a steel shaft and a metal cap at the end as Link Equipped his Silver Gauntlets.

"This," Erza said as she held out the spear. "Is the Haja no Yari, which crushes evil spells and creatures." She said before she and Link turned around and looked up at the purple moon.

Link held out right arm and Equipped a crossbow the size of a ballista with runes running down both sides of the stock.

"LINK-SAN JUST EQUIPPED A BALLISTA!" Lucy screamed in shock as Natsu's smile got wider.

"Aye!" Happy said brightly and Lucy looked down at him in disbelief at how easily he accepted it.

"By combining it with Link's Mach Crossbow, we'll destroy the moon and end this curse." Erza said and all the villagers smiled widely while Erza loaded the Haja no Yari into the crossbow.

"We're actually… going to see the moon get destroyed." One villager said in awe as Lucy and Gray looked on nervously.

_What... what if they actually _do _destroy the moon? _Lucy thought with wide eyes as the runes on the stock of the crossbow started to glow weakly.

"YOU CAN DO IT!" Natsu roared with a wide smile when the runes were glowing brightly and Link jumped in the air as Erza cupped her hands together to create a step. The instant Link's left foot made contact with her hands she launched him up into the air.

"Everyone, cover your ears." Erza said as she looked back and everyone looked down from Link at her in confusion. "Only the wielder is protected from the Mach Crossbow's effect." She said before covering her ears and everyone quickly covered their ears as Link brought the crossbow up and took aim at the moon. A few seconds later Link pulled the trigger, and a sonic boom filled the area as the spear was sent launching up at moon.

Everyone but Erza struggled against the powerful winds the sonic boom picked up as she and the still airborne Link's eyes were fixed on the supersonic spear. _Come on! _They both thought as it rocketed through the air.

"What... WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! ?" Lucy screamed as the wind started to die down, allowing everyone to open their eyes.

Right before Link landed a large crack appeared in the moon and everyone eyes went wide.

For Natsu and Happy, it was exhilaration for seeing the moon actually destroyed.

For the villagers, it was joy that finally the curse was about to be lifted from them just as the chief had said.

For Gray and Lucy, they were both thinking about how Master Makarov was going to react to something as drastic as actually destroying the moon and couldn't think of a way to explain it to him in a way that wouldn't prevent him from exploding with anger.

The cracking continued when suddenly the sky itself started cracking, making everyone's reaction shift to surprise, before it shattered like glass to reveal a normal night sky and moon.

"The moon didn't break but... the sky did?" Lucy said in surprise as she tried to figure out what had just happened.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED! ?" Natsu demanded and Erza looked back with a small smile as she took her hands from her ears.

"There was an evil layer over the island." Erza explained as Link Ex-Equipped the Mach Crossbow and his Silver Gauntlets and everyone but Link looked at her for a further explanation. "Think of it like exhaust fumes caused by the Moon Drip ritual that crystallized in the air. That's why the moon looked purple." She said as the village started to glow. "And now, the island will regain its original shine." She said as everyone looked at the villagers in awe as they also started to glow.

Several seconds later the glow dissipated to reveal... the villagers still in the form of demons.

"Huh...?" One of the villagers said in confusion as she looked at still clawed hands while the other villagers were similary confused.

"What the... they didn't turn back to normal?" Gray said as he looked around in disbelief.

"Oh no..." Happy said as he looked up at the villagers.

"This is their normal appearance." Link said and Erza nodded her head as the villagers looked at each other uncertainly.

"The evil layer over the island affected their memory, not their appearance." Erza said and Natsu looked at her in confusion. "'We turn into demons at night,' wrong thoughts like that." She said and Lucy's eyes slowly widened in growing fear.

"N...n... no way..." Lucy said as she stared at Link and Erza.

"That's just how it is." Erza said before motioning to the villagers. "They were demons to begin with." She said and Lucy dropped to her knees in terror as Natsu's eyes shot wide in shock.

Gray looked at one of the villagers with wide eyes, his jaw nearly touching the ground. "F...for real?" He asked and the villager looked back at him uncertainly.

"I... guess?" The villager answered, still not sure what was going on.

"They must have had the ability to turn into humans, and the Moon Drip affected their memory and made them believe that they were actually humans." Erza said and they all looked at her shakily.

"But... why weren't Lyon and the others affected?" Lucy asked as she still shivered in fear.

"Because they're human. Moon Drip probably only affects demons." Link explained and the villagers looked around at each other again. "It's also why they, as demons, could not approach ruins that hold holy light." He said before his ears twitched and he looked to the side.

"Amazing." Someone said and everyone looked to the source of the voice, where Link was already looking, to see another demon in a traveling cloak walking up. "I'm glad I left it in your hands." He said and Natsu and Gray looked at him in surprise as Lucy and Happy hugged each other in terror.

"A GHOST!" They both screamed as they recognized him as the sailor who had gotten them halfway to the island before.

"Thank you, mages." He said with a sincere smile on his scaled face.

"Bo..." The Chief said as he stared dumbstruck at the demon. "Bobo..." He said and one of the villagers looked between Bobo and the grave with a confused expression.

"Hahahaha!" Bobo laughed in amusement from the looks on their faces. "We demons wouldn't actually die from something like being stabbed in the chest, right?" He asked and Gray walked towards him uncertainly.

"But... back on the boat..." Gray started to say before Bobo suddenly vanished, taking him by surprise.

"Sorry I couldn't tell you the truth before." Bobo said and everyone looked up to see him hovering with a pair of leathery wings. "I ran away because I was the only one who regained his memories." He said as he looked down at everyone. "I was afraid because everyone thought they were human." Bobo said and the Chief looked up with watering eyes.

The Chief suddenly looked down and leathery wings began to grow from his back. "BOBOOOOO!" He yelled as he flew up at Bobo.

Bobo smiled widely as he held out his arms. "You're finally back to your senses, Dad!" Bobo said happily right before the Chief slammed into him, hugging him tightly as he shed tears of joy.

All the villagers watched before they all started smiling widely as leathery wings grew from their backs. "BOBO'S BACK!" They all cried out happily as they flew high into the sky to celebrate.

"Fu fu..." Erza laughed softly as she looked up at the sight with a smile, Link also grinning widely. "Demon Island... huh?" She said as everyone else also smiled at the sheer delight on the demons' faces.

"If you look at their faces..." Natsu said as he watched them fly through the air. "The look more like angels than demons." He said and Link nodded his in agreement.

"TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA PARTY LIKE HELL!" A group of them yelled and Lucy sweat dropped.

"Somehow... that sounds wrong." She said with a sigh before she smiled again.

The following day, everyone from Fairy Tail gathered at the gate of the village to say farewell.

"Hoga... here is the seven million-"

"I apologize," Erza said, cutting off the Chief. "But I'm afraid that we can't accept the reward for this job." She said as and the entire village looked at her in shock.

"Y... you can't accept it?" The Chief asked in dumbfoundment and Link nodded his head in agreement with Erza.

"As we explained last night, some idiots just rushed into this; so it wasn't officially accepted by our Guild." Erza said and the Chief stammered in objection.

"You happiness is reward enough." Link said with a kind smile and several of the female demons blushed.

"Hoga... but..." The Chief said before smiling brightly. "That doesn't change the fact that we were indeed saved." He said warmly. "How about as a thank you gift to a friend then?" He asked and Link and Erza paused before Erza gave a small sigh of resignation.

"If you put it that way, it's hard to reject it." Erza said and the villagers cheered and Gray and Natsu looked over from where they had been arguing with wide smiles.

"S... SEVEN MILLION JEWELS!" They both yelled as fire shot from Natsu's nostrils and Link winced slightly as his ears twitched.

"However, to accept the money would go against what Fairy Tail stands for." Erza said before smiling warmly. "We'll gladly accept the Golden Key, though." She added when the villagers looked at her in shock again.

"WE DON'T WANT THAT!" Natsu and Gray yelled in disappointment making Link's ears twitch again, this time from annoyance.

"I DO!" Lucy screamed and Link glared back at all three of them, making them freeze.

"Well then..." Bobo said uncertainly, wanting to find some way to repay them. "At least let us get you back to Harujion." He offered but Erza once again shook her head.

"No need, Link and I already have transportation." Erza said and all the villagers looked at them with dumbfounded expressions.

Everyone followed Link and Erza as they walked down to the beach, the villagers following out of curiosity as to how they had procured transport to the island. When they got to the beach, everyone stopped and looked up in awe at the massive ship that waited.

"A pirate ship! ?" Gray yelled in surprise as Natsu looked up at it, shading his eyes with his right hand.

"You two hijacked it!" Happy said with an awed expression on his face, to which Link shook his head and pointed at Erza, who smirked in response.

"ANE-SAN! ANIGO-SAN!" The pirate crew yelled when they saw Link and Erza. "WE WAITED FOR YOU TWO TO COME BACK, JUST AS PROMISED!" They yelled and Link smiled as he waved up at them while Lucy just looked at the two of them.

"Ane-san, anigo-san?" She asked and Erza made a small sound of amusement before Lucy and Natsu were enveloped in Nayru's Embrace and slowly lifted up to the deck.

"I could get used to this." Natsu said with a wide smile, happy in the knowledge that traveling on the ship wouldn't give him motion sickness.

Once everyone else was on the deck, the pirate crew quickly hoisted up the anchor and prepared the ship for getting underway. "EVERYONE!" Bobo suddenly yelled as the ship started to pull away. "THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!" He yelled as he waved at them.

"TAKE CARE!" Lucy yelled back with a wide smile as she waved enthusiastically as everyone else looked back with smiles of their own.

From another vantage point on the island, another group of people watched the ship depart.

"They're gone." A young man with blue, spiky hair and huge eyebrows said as he watched them leave with a quivering lip, his green and light green jacket blowing in the wind.

"I'M NOT CRYING AT ALL!" Toby yelled as he sobbed into his arm and Sherry looked back at him in confusion as Angelica watched it all impassively as she sat towering above them all.

"Hey... Sherry." Lyon suddenly said and she immediately looked at him attentively. "Are Guilds fun?" He asked and everyone blinked before Sherry smiled warmly at him.

After an hour of sailing, the island was lost from sight and Lucy sighed as she sat down against the mast. "I still can't believe we pulled it off." She said tiredly, the events of the past two nights still affecting her.

"Yes... and now we have to hurry back to decide your punishment." Erza said and Lucy, Gray, Natsu, and Happy all froze.

"Hey... Erza... can't we get a break?" Gray asked and Erza looked over at him questioningly. "I mean Link had a disagreement with the old man about his very first job, can't you just look at this the same way?" He asked and Link froze as Natsu, Happy, and Lucy looked at Gray in surprise.

"Gray, there is one major difference between what Link did then and this occurrence." Erza said firmly. "Link stood up to Master and argued his case, he didn't steal it behind Master's back." She said, sending a glare at the other three as she said the last part that made them cringe.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Gray said with a small sigh as he crossed his arms. "Nearly leaving Fairy Tail because of a job is a bit more mature I suppose." He said somewhat smugly and Link looked away and up at the sky, his ears lowering slightly

"WHAAT! ?" Natsu yelled in surprise as he all but slammed his face against Nayru's Embrace. "LINK ALMOST LEFT FAIRY TAIL! ?" He demanded and Link looked back with a look of embarrassment while he scratched his cheek with one finger as he recalled the event.

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	16. Partners

Chapter Fourteen

_**Eight Years Ago**_

_Makarov, sitting at his usual spot on the bar and looking over the rest of Fairy Tail, had just finished taking a drink of his beer when young Link walked up to him with a job held in he had just selected from the Guild Board. "Finally healed up?" Makarov asked with a smile and Link nodded his head, happy to finally be free of all the bandages._

_Link, who had his Hylian Shield and Kokiri Sword on his back, had on a new pair of fingerless, leather gloves that were there to both help with his grip and keep the Triforce Symbol on his left hand hidden to avoid questions about it._

_Makarov's smile widened slightly at Link's nod before looking at the job curiously. "Well, what have you chosen for your first job?" He asked and Link held up the sheet of paper for Makarov to grab as he took another drink of his beer. A second later he spit out the beer, spraying poor Link, as he looked at the job in shock._

_"D-demon subjugation? !" Makarov asked in shock and that quickly got everyone's attention as they looked at them in varying degrees of surprise and shock while Link wiped the beer from his face. "Absolutely not!" Makarov said firmly as he put the job back down. "It may only be a minor demon, but there is no way I am allowing this!" He said and Link's eyes narrowed slightly as he pointed at the job. "I just said no; go choose something less dangerous for your first job." He said as he glared down at Link._

_To everyone's surprise, Link met Makarov's glare without backing down an inch before he grabbed the job from the counter and turned around to walk to the door. "Link!" Makarov said sharply as he stood up but Link did not even slow down his stride to acknowledge he had heard, though his ears twitched slightly to indicate his sensitive ears did not like the yell. "Little brat." Makarov said as he started to raise his hand up before pausing._

_Link also paused, but only because Gray and Erza stood in his way to the door. Gray had his arms crossed and Erza had her hand on her saber as they both glared at Link, who only showed mild surprise at their stand before noticing that the rest of Fairy Tail were also looking at him angrily._

_"I don't know who you think you are, but no one disrespects the old man like that." Gray said coldly and Link's eyes narrowed again as he held up the job._

_"If Master says you cannot do the job, then you should respect his wisdom and put it back instead of trying to show off." Erza said and this time Link blinked in surprise, confused as to what she meant._

Trying to show off?_ Link wondered in confusion, not sure where she had gotten that idea from._

_"In other words, put the job back before you get hurt." Gray said before he cracked his knuckles. "Then, after you apologize to the old man, you might get lucky and not have the Great Gray-sama kick your ass." He said and after a couple of seconds Link's eyes hardened as he tucked the job into his belt._

_Gray's eyes narrowed slightly before he charged forward at Link. "You asked for it!" Gray yelled as he cocked one fist back to deck Link._

_Link made no attempt to dodge as Gray came in, his entire body relaxed. _Can't even react in time._ Gray thought right before Link jumped up when Gray punched out and landed on his arm with his left foot. Gray's eyes widened in surprise even as the increase in weight forced his arm down and overbalanced him. Link then jumped off the back of Gray's head with his right foot, sending him crashing to the ground as Link spun in the air before he landed nimbly on the ground._

_Everyone's eyes widened in surprise at how smooth and effortlessly Link had moved, especially considering that he had a shield on his back that was almost as tall as him and twice as wide, as Gray slowly picked himself up before looking back at Link with anger-filled eyes. "YOU LITTLE-"_

_"Enough, Gray." Erza said, cutting off Gray, as she continued to glare at Link. "Link, put the job back now." She as her eyes narrowed to her now infamous glare that would make even most of the adults falter._

_As with Makarov though, Link didn't back down and met her glare evenly before he shook his head and pulled the job from his belt to show it once more and pointed at the job description. "It doesn't matter how much of a reward is offered." Erza said and Link's eyes went from hard to surprised. "It Master says that you cannot do the job, then you must choose something else." She said and Link blinked before he shook his head then walked up to Erza with the job extended towards her._

_Erza released her grip on her saber as Link walked up before taking the job. Link pointed at the description and she looked at where he had pointed before her eyes went wide. "This… is why?" She asked in surprise as Makarov walked up behind Link, and Link nodded his head._

_Makarov shot Link a small glare before moving up beside Erza to look down at the job. A few seconds later his eyes also widened slightly when he saw what Link was pointing at before looking at him. "The villages that are being terrorized, that's why you're so determined to go?" Makarov asked and Link nodded his head once, his expression set and determined._

_Erza's eyes widened slightly at the look in his eyes, a look she had only seen in one other boy before. _They have the same look as…_ She thought, and though the color was different she could not deny the same light that had once shone brightly in Jellal's eyes._

_Everyone's expression reflected their surprise at hearing this when Makarov sighed then shook his head. "I know you mean well, Link, but I'm sure you've never even fought strong monsters before and-" Makarov started to say before stopping when Link nodded his head._

_At that, several peoples' eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when Gray made a small sound of disbelief. "You expect us to believe you've actually fought monsters before?" Gray asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Let me guess, you think something like a big dog coming to attack as a monster, right?" He asked with a smirk._

_Link, hardly fazed by Gray's attitude, paused before nodding his head. "That stands and runs on its hind legs." He said quietly and Gray's smirk quickly vanished._

_"W-werewolves?" Gray asked in shock and Link was confused for a second before he realized that must be what Wolfos were called here. "No way!" Gray said as he shook his head viciously to deny what Link had said. "You expect us to believe something like that?" He demanded but Link just shrugged his shoulders slightly as if it did not matter, and in truth their belief or disbelief would not deter him._

_"Master," Erza said as she lowered the job and everyone looked over at her, the entire Guild now caught up in the scene unfolding before them. "What if I were to go with him?" She asked and Makarov looked at her in surprise before sighing._

_"Erza, unless I can be sure of Link's abilities I cannot allow- STOP TRYING TO LEAVE!" Makarov suddenly roared when Link, who had started walking again, opened the doors. The force of his presence and yell this time made Link freeze even as he winced in pain from the yell. "I have not given you permission to leave, and without the sanction of the Guild Master you will not be paid for the job!" Makarov stated firmly as he glared at Link._

_Link quickly turned around at the mention of payment and glared hard at Makarov, his expression now showing anger at Makarov's last statement. "You can be angry all you want, but that is how it is." He said but Link just shook his head before he turned around._

_Right as he got outside his ears twitched and he quickly jumped to the side to narrowly avoid a charging punch from Erza. "Erza!" Makarov said in surprise before everyone piled out as Link and Erza stared each other down._

_"Heh, this guy's gonna get it now." Gray said with a smirk as everyone gathered in a large circle._

_"I don't know." Cana said thoughtfully as looked at the two of them. "He didn't have much trouble against you, so he might stand a chance." She said and Gray shot her a glare, to which she just shrugged._

_"Link, if I beat you now, then you have to agree to put the job back and let someone else better suited take care of it." Erza said and Link looked at her for several seconds before standing straight and crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at her for a few silent seconds before tilting his head slightly, his look questioning._

_No one knew what to make of that for close to a minute before Erza's eyes widened slightly and she shook her head. "I can't make that call, only Master can say if you can still go." Erza said and Link's arms dropped as he shook his head. He had no intention of fighting if he only stood to lose something from the outcome._

_Erza hesitated for several seconds, trying to think of a way to keep Link from leaving. _I can't let him run off to be killed_. She thought before her eyes narrowed. _Very well; even if he doesn't agree, he can't leave if he's unconscious._ She thought as she prepared to charge._

_"Erza, stop." Makarov said and Erza immediately froze and looked over at Makarov, his gaze still locked on to Link's. "Link, you do not even care that you will not get the reward, do you?" Makarov asked and Link nodded his head._

_"Is this kid for real?" One of the Guild members asked curiously, most of the others wondering the same thing._

_Makarov studied Link for several seconds before he gave a small sigh. "I can understand that you truly wish to help those villagers, but please understand that I can't let you just run off without knowing if you are indeed ready." He said and Link's determined look lessened to a slightly confused look. "I cannot in good conscience send you to fight a demon if all it could do was wind up in your death." Makarov said but Link just continued to look at him in confusion._

It's almost as if… !_ Makarov thought before his eyes widened slightly. "Link, how many times have you almost died?" He suddenly asked and everyone looked at Makarov in surprise._

_Link's expression became more pensive as he looked up, thinking back._

_"This… shouldn't normally be that hard of a question for a kid." Wakabe said before he inhaled slightly on his cigarette after a minute had gone by._

_After another minute had gone by Link looked back at Makarov and offered a small shrug, indicating he couldn't recall the true amount._

This kid! _Makarov thought in shock, an emotion felt by the rest of the Guild, before he remembered the state Link had arrived in and what he had told him. "Fine then, Link, a quick test to determine your abilities." He said and Link tilted his head slightly. "Erza is not yet ready to subjugate a demon on her own, but she is still very strong for her age." Makarov said and some of the Guild members sweat dropped._

More like monstrous._ Most of them, Gray included, __thought__._

_"But perhaps, if you can match Erza in combat, the two of you may be able to complete the job; though I do not doubt it will still be extremely dangerous for the both of you." Makarov said and Link looked at him in surprise. "If you can agree to that condition, then I will not stand in your way." He said and Link looked at him for several seconds before looking at Erza._

_"Do not think I will be as easy to beat as Gray." Erza said as she handed the job to Makarov and Gray's face reddened in embarrassment. "Once you are defeated, you will give up the job." She said confidently as she put her right hand on her saber. "I'll finish this with ONE BLOW!" Erza screamed the last the two words as she broke into a charge while unsheathing her saber._

He's agile, and if I go for a thrust he will probably jump up to land on top of my saber like he did with Gray's arm._ Erza thought as she charged in before adjusting her sword so the sharpened side was pointed back slightly as she grabbed the hilt with both hands._ Very well then._ She thought as she tightened her grip on her saber and brought it up slightly._

_Link's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched her charge in._ The way she's holding the saber, she's planning to slash diagonally from above to try and limit my where I can move._ Link thought as he waited for the right moment to attack. He didn't have long to wait as she was almost within striking distance in a second._

_Link's right arm looped in front of his body as he brought his left fist next to his hip, palm up, and he shifted left leg back while bending forward to cover his body with his shield, his movements unhurried yet also a blur, even as Erza brought her saber up to slash down at him. "Hup." Link said as Erza hit the Hylian Shield without much strength, having intended to stop her blow at his neck to indicate her victory._

_"What?" Erza said in surprise even as she felt the shield shift slightly under her as Link brought his left fist up, his body still angled towards the ground._

_"HYAA! !" Link yelled as he punched the ground and immediately a dome of fire shot out from his body and slammed into Erza, pushing her back and up into the air for ten feet before it dissipated._

_"AAAAHHHH! ! !" Erza screamed in pain as she went flying through air and everyone, mainly Gray, looked on in shock while for some of the more experienced Fairy Tail members were just surprised at the strength of Link's spell, considering his age._

_Link's head snapped up and he quickly ran towards Erza, concern in his eyes. _Did I misjudge her strength?_ He thought in shock before stopping as her eyes snapped open and she spun in the air to land roughly on the ground then slide to the very edge of the human circle around the two of them._

_Smoke came off her armor and skin as she glared into Link's surprised eyes before standing straight, her breathing a little heavy. "I… haa… told you." She said as she tightened her grip on her saber. "Do not think… I will be as easy to defeat as Gray." Erza said with a small wince even as a few trickles of sweat trailed down Link's face._

I can do Din's Fire maybe three more times as I am now._ Link thought when he recovered from his surprise before his eyes narrowed._ Very well_. He thought as he unsheathed the Kokiri Sword in one swift move._

_"Enough," Makarov suddenly said as they prepared to charge at each other and they immediately stopped to look at him. Makarov was currently looking at Link with a serious and thoughtful and expression before walking towards him. "I can definitely see you are no stranger to combat." As he walked up to him and Link nodded his head as he resheathed the Kokiri Sword._

_"Master, what do you mean?" Erza asked as she walked up slowly while she resheathed her saber, for he had stopped the fight after only the first exchange._

_"I can tell from his eyes and his movements." Makarov explained before he looked at Erza in concern._

_Erza gave a small, weak grin to try and show she was okay before looking at Link as he opened up one of his pouches to pull out a bottle, topped with a cork, larger than the pouch itself. The bottle was filled with a red liquid and Erza looked at it curiously after Link handed it to her._

_"What's this?" Erza asked while several of the Guild members were wondering the same thing, though their attention was focused on the pouch he had just pulled the bottle from._

_"Healing Potion," Link said quietly and Erza looked at the liquid in surprise. "Three mouthfuls should be enough." He explained and Erza nodded her head as Makarov continued to look at Link in thoughtful surprise._

_Erza pulled the cork from the bottle and carefully sniffed it before looking away in mild revulsion, to which Link nodded his head in agreement. After one more look at Link she quickly drank three mouthfuls of the sour tasting Healing Potion before taking it away from her mouth with a small shudder. A second later her eyes went wide as she looked down at her body as she felt the burns disappearing from her body. "Thank you." Erza said several seconds later after all the burns were gone as she handed the bottle back to Link, who nodded as he put it back in his pouch._

_After he was done putting the bottle away, Link looked at Makarov, who looked back at Link for several seconds before sighing as he handed the job to Link. "Very well then, both you and Erza may go on the job." He said and Link gave a small bow after he took the job._

_"Grrrr... how is it he just got here and he can already go on a demon subjugation job?" Gray asked in annoyance as he glared at Erza and Link while they walked off._

_"You didn't see it, did you, Gray?" Macao asked while everyone else started to filter back into the Guild Hall and Gray looked up at him questioningly. "With just one move, Link showed experience and power." He said as he recalled how Link had predicted where the slash would come from, before looking down at Gray. "Against you, he showed strength and agility." He said and Gray's eyes widened slightly. "And to top it all off, the way he told Erza how many mouthfuls of that potion would heal her... I wonder just how many times he's needed to use it." Macao said before he turned around to walk back into the Guild Hall. "Honestly, after seeing all that I wouldn't be surprised if that kid actually already has fought a demon." He said then stretched his arms over his head. "Damn, I think I'll get one more beer then go grab a job myself." Macao said and after a few seconds Gray gave a small sound of annoyance before walking in as well._

_**Present Day**_

Lucy, Natsu, and Happy all looked at Link with wide eyes after Gray had finished telling them what had happened.

"You actually stood up to Jii-chan like that?" Natsu asked and Link looked down in slight embarrassment. "And you beat Erza in one attack?" He asked in shock and at that Erza made a small sound of annoyance.

"Master stopped the fight after the first exchange, so there was no actual winner." Erza said firmly and Natsu immediately nodded his head nervously while Link leaned against the railing as he remembered what was, to him, the most important part of that job.

**_Eight Years Ago_**

_Link looked out the window of the train as it sped across a vast plain as he and Erza sat across from each other, his expression full of curiosity._

_Erza watched him as she had for the past several minutes before making a small sound to get his attention and he immediately looked at her curiously. "Link, do you know why Master was so against you taking this job?" She asked and Link looked at her for several seconds before he shook his head. "Master didn't know what you're capable of, so didn't want you to go with this right away in case if led to your death." Erza said and Link cocked his head with a mildly confused expression as if to say it should be obvious that taking on a demon could result in death._

_Erza looked at him surprise before looking to the side as she sighed. "Does the idea of your death truly not bother you?" She asked and Link's ears drooped slightly as he looked down. "I see..." Erza said before trailing off._

_"I... do not wish to die." Link suddenly said, making her look back at him. "But I am a warrior, so I know it cannot be discounted." He said firmly and Erza's eyes widened slightly before she looked out the window again._

_Close to half an hour went by when Link shifted slightly in his seat. "Why was Master Makarov so against me fighting the demon if I volunteered?" He asked and Erza looked at him. "I know the risks and wanted to help... but he didn't want me to help the villagers... why?" Link asked, still confused and wanting to know._

_Erza studied him for over half a minute before making a small sound of amusement as she looked back out the window. "I joined only a couple of months before you appeared." Erza said and Link tilted his head curiously, not knowing how that statement was connected. "But ever since I joined... whenever I'm around Master I can't help but feel he thinks of us as his children." She said and Link's eyes widened slightly. "I know I usually stay separate from everyone, and despite the fact I can't recall ever having one, Fairy Tail almost feels like a family; with Master as the father." Erza said with a small blush of happiness._

_"Family?" Link asked quietly and Erza nodded her head._

_"Master may let us go on these jobs... but I think if something happened to us he would be heartbroken." Erza said before her eyes lowered slightly. "That could just be a hope someone might care about me, though." She said before she suddenly shook her head. "Forget what I just said, I don't know why-!"_

_"No," Link said and Erza looked at him in surprise. "We're partners, so I'll make sure nothing happens to you." He said firmly and his eyes seemed to smolder with an inner fire that took Erza by surprise before she gave a small grin._

_"Very well, but if we're partners then I'll have to make sure nothing happens to you as well." Erza said and Link blinked in surprise before smiling back and nodded his head before he held his right hand out, which Erza grabbed in hers._

_"Partners." They both said at the same time as they shook hands._

**_Present Day_**

"HAHAHAHA! !" Natsu roared in amusement, snapping Link back to the present, as he pointed a finger at Gray. "You got beat in one move, how pathetic!" He said with a wide smile and Gray's right eye twitched as he glared at Natsu.

"This coming from the guy that got knocked out with one punch!" Gray shot back and this time Natsu's eye twitched before they both froze as Erza glared at them.

"Hey, what was the most exciting part of the job!" Natsu said excitedly as he pressed his face against the crystal barrier.

"I think the most exciting part happened before the job even started..." Lucy remarked even as Erza grabbed her chin thoughtfully and looked down.

"Hmmm..." Erza hummed as she thought back to the job before looking up. "I think Link getting eaten would probably be it." She said in a matter-of-fact tone and all their eyes nearly bugged out in surprise.

"WHHAAAAT! ? !" Lucy screamed in surprise before putting her hands over her mouth even as Link's ears twitched. Lucy started to apologize before stopping when she saw Link wasn't looking at her but rather Erza a little crossly.

Erza gave a small smile at his look before making a small sound of amusement. "Well, I suppose one could say since he didn't actually go down its throat he wasn't eaten." She said and Link crossed his arms. "I don't recall you saying it was your plan beforehand, all I remember is you saying you were going to try something." Erza said and Link paused before giving a small sigh of exasperation.

"I recall you nearly knocking me out afterwards." Link said and Erza nodded her head.

"Of course, it was a foolish risk that nearly got you killed." Erza said and Link gave a small shrug before looking at her, to which she sighed. "True, I suppose it did work in the end." She said as she shook her head. "Honestly, you still haven't changed that part even to this day." Erza said in mock despair, though she continued to smile. "One second you're calm and level-headed and the next you're trying something completely reckless to try and find a weakness." Erza said and Link continued to look at her before he suddenly grinned slightly.

"If you're going to bring that up..." Link said before he trailed off in amusement.

To everyone's surprise Erza actually blushed slightly as she glared at him. "Don't you dare." Erza said but Link's grin didn't falter at all.

"What happened?" Natsu asked with a wide smile as he looked at Link.

"Link." Erza said in an almost threatening as she continued to glare at him and he raised his right eyebrow slightly before making a small sound of amusement and nodded his head.

"Tch!" Natsu exclaimed in disappointment as he leaned back and crossed his arms.

**_Harujion_**

"Take care, Ane-san, Anigo-san!" All the pirates called out, making their captain sigh, as everyone walked off the ship, Natsu already on the pier and waiting for them.

The six of them walked through the port town; Gray, Lucy, and Happy all looking down unhappily. "What do you think Master is going to do?" Happy asked sadly and Natsu looked down with a smile.

"I'm sure he'll just say, "Good job", since everything worked out." Natsu said confidently and Lucy looked at him in disbelief before shaking her head.

"Wait... what if we have to do "That"? !" Happy asked as he trembled in fear, making Natsu and Gray freeze.

"No..." Gray said with horror-filled eyes as he started to sweat. "Not "That"..." He said with a nervous gulp and Lucy looked at them uncertainly.

"W-what is "That"?" Lucy asked nervously.

"I...I'm sure "That" won't happen!" Natsu said nervously with a nod as he looked up with an unconfident chuckle.

"No, I'm sure "That" is a given." Erza said with an amused smile as she looked back at them. "I'm actually looking forward to it." She said and Natsu started shaking as sweat poured down his body.

"NO, NOT THAT! ! !" Natsu yelled in terror, making Link's ears twitch, before he tried to fun off. "ANYTHING BUT THAT! !" He yelled after Erza grabbed his scarf to prevent his escape.

"What is "That"! ?" Lucy screamed, terrified because Natsu's and Gray's reaction but also because of this unknown punishment.

Link gave a small sigh as he shook his head sorrowfully, making Lucy even more terrified about whatever "That" was going to be, when an elderly man dressed in simple clothes walked up them. "Excuse me, but you are Link Kokiri, right?" He asked and Link blinked as he looked at him before nodding his head. "I have a message for you." He said and everyone looked at the man curiously. " 'I have information on Hyrule'," He said and Link's eyes went wide, " 'please come to the northern edge of the Iron Forest to discuss payment in exhange.' " The man finished and Erza walked up to the look at the man carefully as Link recovered from his shock.

"Who told you this?" Erza asked and the man shook his head.

"The person was dressed in a cloak and hood that covered their body, I was just given a message." The man said and Erza's eyes narrowed slightly while Gray, Natsu, Lucy, and Gray looked on with a confused expression.

"We only arrived here late at night yesterday, how could this person have known to give the message to you?" Erza demanded and the man wilted under her stare.

"I... I don't know... I was... only asked to deliver a message..." The man said weakly as he shivered in fear.

"Hey, Erza!" Natsu said as he walked up to her. "Don't you think you're being too hard on the guy?" He asked before freezing as Erza glanced back at him.

"Thank you." The man suddenly said and everyone looked back to see Link nodding at the man and indicating he could leave.

Once the man walked away, Link looked at Erza, his gaze completely serious, and after a few seconds Erza sighed before nodding his head. "Very well, I'll take them back to the Guild." She said before they both looked over as Lucy opened her mouth.

Lucy hesitated when they looked at her before clearing her throat. "Um... what was that about?" She asked curiously and Erza glanced at Link, who shrugged his shoulders before turning around to walk off.

Erza gave a small sigh before looking back at Lucy and nodded her head. "Link is looking for information about his homeland, Hyrule." Erza said and Lucy looked at her in confusion.

"I've never heard of it before..." Lucy said before trailing off before her eyes widened slightly. "Wait, is that where Link's magic is from?" She asked and Erza nodded her head.

"Hold up, Link's been at Fairy Tail for..." Gray started to say before trailing off as his eyes went wide. "Wait, you mean Link's been trying to find this information for the past eight years?" Gray asked, making Lucy, Natsu, and Happy look at him in surprise, and Erza nodded her head.

Lucy looked at Erza in shock then looked at Link as he walked before taking a step forward as she raised her hand. "Good luck, Link-san!" Lucy called out after as she waved and Link suddenly paused before looking back at her curiously.

Lucy froze, uncertain, as Erza looked at her. "Hmm... Link has a point." Erza said, making Lucy look at her in confusion.

"Yeah," Natsu said and Lucy sweat dropped.

_Even Natsu knows what's going on? _Lucy wondered in private despair before looking at him.

"How come you keep adding 'san' to Link's name?" Natsu asked as he looked at her curiously . "It's not right for nakama to do that to each other." He said and Lucy looked at him in surprise before shaking her head.

"Link-san hasn't said anything about that so it's only polite." Lucy said in exasperation and Natsu tilted his head curiously.

"Don't you remember what I told you before?" Natsu asked and Lucy looked at him in confusion before she noticed Link moving.

When Lucy looked over, her eyes went wide in surprise to see Link pulling up his right sleeve to show his green Fairy Tail stamp. "Everyone in Fairy Tail, all of us are nakama!" Natsu said with a wide grin and Link, Erza, Gray, and Happy all nodded their heads while smiling at her.

"Aye!" Happy said as he pumped his right paw in the air.

Lucy slowly started to smile before bringing her right hand up into a fist. "Right!" She said before bringing her hand up to wave once more. "Good luck, Link!" Lucy called out and Link smiled as he nodded his head.

Several blocks away, the old man who had delivered the message walked calmly before suddenly ducking into a shadowy alley. After he looked around a few times he gave a sigh before transforming into a middle-aged man with no hair dressed in black and dark red formfitting clothes. _That was close... it's a good thing I was watching Fairy Tail to track his movements. _The man thought before reaching into his clothes to pull out a small, green lachyrma. "It's done, he's on his way." He said and the lachryma glowed with a dull, inner light.

"Well done." A muffled voice said back in reply. "As I have heard, you Shinobi are truly the best when it comes to infiltration and trickery." The voice said and the man gave a small sound of confirmation. "Please tell your Master that I hope she will consider my offer, something like this cannot come very often for Dark Guilds." The voice continued and the lachyrma went dark once more.

* * *

Was actually tempted to just put the whole thing in normal text considering how long the flashback is but... I figured I always do it Italics (or Italics and random Underlings, curse you Fanfiction for cutting those out at random parts!), so I figured should stick with it.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	17. Ambush at Iron Forest

Chapter Fifteen

Link walked quietly through a large forest, though this was not a normal green and lush forest. No, this was the Iron Forest, which was filled with dead, skeletal trees petrified into solid stone. It was said to be the handiwork of Zeref, and the feeling of perversion and death that permeated the Iron Forest certainly helped to support that rumor. Add the dangerous monsters that roamed the dead lands seeking new meat to the mix, and most people would never go so much as close to it if they could help it .

All of this, of course, made it a perfect place for those who specialize in underground dealings.

Link was aware of this, though he doubted Gray or Natsu were, and knew Erza would have preferred to accompany him to watch his back. In all honesty, Link was not thrilled about coming here alone either, but one of them had to ensure Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy were returned to face Master Makarov.

In a place like the Iron Forest, Link knew he had to be on his guard at all times, from both the monsters and the people that normally visit, but at the moment he was having trouble concentrating. His gaze showed his distraction as he tried to pinpoint the reason for the vague sense of unease he had. Normally he would be able to pin it on the Iron Forest itself, but for some reason he couldn't understand that didn't seem to explain it.

_Perhaps I should use Farore's Wind and return to Fairy Tail... _Link thought, and if it hadn't been for the chance of getting information on a possible way back to Hyrule he would have done just that. Then again, if it wasn't for that he would already be back there in the first place.

Link suddenly stopped, surprised by the thought. _Could something be happening at Fairy Tail? _He wondered and crossed his arms as he closed his eyes thoughtfully. Without actually going there, though, he had no way to know for sure, and though the promised information was close he was indeed tempted to head back at that moment. However, he was confident that if it was an emergency they would contact him with the Communication Lachryma._ Still... _Link thought, unable to shake off the uneasy feeling even with that justification.

He suddenly froze as he sensed something more immediate in the area, somehing out of place that activated the sixth sense that had saved him countless times before. _I don't hear anything, though. _Link thought in mild confusion as he opened his eyes and let his hands drop back to his sides to look around. For several, tense minutes he carefully scanned the area around him, his ears flicking as he sought any sound to indicate an incoming attack.

A strong wind suddenly picked up and blew through the Forest, ruffling Link's clothing. An instant later Link's eyes widened slightly as he realized what was wrong; he couldn't hear the sound of his clothes ruffling nor the usual groan of the wind as it would blow through the stone trees.

In that exact instant he quickly rolled forward and to the right, fully intending on running as fast as he could after the roll, and that sudden motion saved as his life. Three expertly thrown throwing knives flew by, one aimed for where his heart had been and the other two his lungs, and as soon as he came out his roll, Link immediately set off in a run. Before he could get too far, however, an assailant, clad in black and dark red formfitting clothes, to include a hood and mask, jumped out behind a tree ahead of him with a kodachi held in his left hand, reverse grip, to attack. Link did not so much as hesitate as he pivoted on his right foot to get behind the assailant while deflecting the attacking arm away with his right hand. In that same movement he held his left hand out to Equip a broad scimitar and slashed down, a perfectly executed move that had only flaw; his scimitar didn't appear.

Link's eyes shot open in shock and he was only barely able to jump back in time as the assailant quickly reversed his momentum while tossing the kodachi to his right hand for another slash. As soon as Link landed he caught a small movement out of the corner of his eye and immediately went into a series of backflips, a hail of shuriken following his path, before jumping up into the trees to continue his escape.

Link had gotten maybe fifty feet away and was in mid-jump when four more assailants, similarly garbed as the last one, jumped up from four different directions with a katana in hand to skewer him. Had Link still been off-balance as he had been after he discovered the loss of sound and ability to use magic, that would have been the end of him. Unfortunately for them, Link had recovered and had been anticipating several different types of attacks and had already planned his movements.

As soon Link saw the assailants, he agilely turned in the air while bringing his hands up to his shoulders then down to touch the back of the katanas of two of his assailants and pushed down on them while spinning forward to place his feet on their backs. The move, done so smoothly and so quickly, took him barely half a second to complete and he kicked off their backs to propel himself not forward, but down towards the ground.

Once again, Link's move proved correct as the other two assailants, though surprised by Link's escape, quickly threw three throwing knives each that would have slammed into his back had he attempted to go forward. Link landed lightly and was about to run forward before stopping as ten assailants jumped down in front of him. Link quickly turned around before stopping when he saw he was completely surrounded by a few dozen of of them. Some were men, some women, but all of them looked at him cold eyes as they held either katanas, wakizashis, or kodachis in their hands.

Just to see if he had gotten far enough away to escape whatever was preventing from using magic, Link tried once more to Equip a weapon, but to no avail. _Runes? _Link wondered as he looked around warily, looking for some weakness in the circle around him. Everywhere he looked proved the same, to attempt to escape would result in a multitude of wounds, if not a swift death.

Suddenly five of them, their positions making a pentagram pattern if one were to look down from the sky, raised a hand and each fired a blast of magic at him, taking him by surprise. Blasts of light, fire, water, lighting, and darkness all quickly slammed into him, creating a large yet silent explosion that had all but four of the assailants blocking their eyes.

_Do you think that got him? _One of the four signaled with his hands to a female assailant, one of the ones who had not shielded her eyes.

_Do you see his corpse? _She signaled back, her narrowed red eyes indicating she thought the question perfectly ridiculous, and the man paused before nodding his head in apology for being too confident.

Despite her harsh "words", though, she was fairly certain that Link was nothing more than a pile of ashes, if even that was left of him, for this method had proved effective against nearly all mages they had killed.

Highly powerful and, for the most part, possessing of a strong intellect or battle-sense, most mages inevitably shared one weakness. That weakness was their reliance on their magical ability, which for the most part proved to be their greatest strength in just about every encounter of their lives.

Against the Dark Guild Shinobi, however, that strength was turned against them with use of a specific Enchantment that nullified not all magic in the area, as the mage would undoubtedly think, but rather the magic they use exclusively. In the occasion they were to face a mage that knew more than one, the one they nullified use most often when confronted; in this case they had been forced to seal off their own preferred magic, Equip. This tactic not only threw the target off balance, which was enhanced by the second portion of the Enchantment which negated all sound, but in most cases terrified them to the point where they could not even react should the first, normally fatal, strike miss.

_This one, however... _The woman couldn't help but think as she recalled Link's quick reactions and superb combat awareness to not only recover from the surprise of no sound but also the failure of his Maharathi. Not only did he avoid the first strike and second part of the trap, but also evaded the third part of the trap, one that had finished off even S-Rank mages, and had forced them to utilize the final portion of their trap. _Despite my employer's thoughts, he has more than earned his title. _She thought with respect as she waited for the smoke to clear in order to confirm Link's death.

A barrage of small blue crystals, each about the size of a needle, burst through the smoke and into the surprised Shinobi, cutting into all but six of them, four of which had been the ones that had not shielded their eyes during the explosion, which had reacted in time to deflect the crystals with their blades. The sudden burst of movement cleared the smoke and the mostly injured Shinobi looked down in varying degrees of surprise to see Link not only unharmed, but glaring up at them fiercely.

For in that instant that the Shinobi had blasted Link, his instincts kicked into high gear. Not fully aware of the significance in that split second of time he had, Link heard the demand of his fighting mind to activate the spell that had saved him countless times from a concentrated blast from every direction, Nayru's Love. In those few seconds the Shinobi waited for the smoke to clear, Link had recovered and quickly reasoned that it had not been all magic, as evidenced by the blast that had come at him, but just likely the ability to Equip. With Nayru's Love still around him as proof, Link's eyes narrowed as he planned out his next move and quickly decided to utilize the same spell he had used against Natsu.

Nayru's Love was a spell intended purely for defense, as law might defend against the chaos brought about by anarchy, but as Link knew the law could not just be for defense; there had to be repercussions. Thus Link had worked hard and experimented till he collapsed countless times so that this powerful defense could be used as a counter to those he fought. The end result of that effort was Nayru's Retribution, a spell that actually had the crystal crack and shoot out in a volley of crystals that were whatever size he desired; though they all had to be the same size.

With the successful utilization of those two spells, Link's quickly drawn theory was correct; he could not use his Maharathi, but could still utilize all the other spell he had at his disposal.

The woman who had shot down the belief Link was dead without seeing his corpse, the leader of those Shinobi gathered, narrowed her eyes once her initial shock wore off before signaling to the others to hold their position then leaped down to engage Link with her wakizash, held in her right hand, to try and prevent just that.

Link quickly jumped to the side to avoid the slash, and his blue eyes met the red of his opponent before he jumped back to avoid a flurry of lightning fast strikes from her. Link moved with practiced ease and agility, narrowly avoiding strike after strike as he moved around to prevent being pinned down in one spot for too long. _She's fast. _Link noted as he continued to dodge her strikes before suddenly moving in to block her right arm with his left then retaliated with a barrage of three swift punches from his right that knocked her back.

_What? !_ The woman thought in shock as she quickly regained her balance and then she was on the defensive as Link came in at her with a series of skilled punches and kicks that always worked to prevent her from fully utilizing her wakizashi. _He is a master of weapons, not fists! _She thought in denial even as she continued to be battered before suddenly going into a jumping spin with her wakizashi that forced Link back. During her spin she swiftly pulled out four throwing knives and threw them at Link even as he prepared to attack again.

Before the knives hit him, Link disappeared in a green flash and reappeared directly in front of the woman, barely a few inches from her, and drove his right knee into her stomach before slamming both palms into her chest to send her flying. The woman quickly recovered and spun in the air to land on her feet, but Link was no longer focusing on her as he turned to send a blast of fire from his right hand into the Shinobi closest to him.

They quickly scattered before it slammed into a stone tree, causing another silent explosion that shook the ground, but what Link had hoped for was not for the attack to hit. Nor, despite what the more experienced ones there thought, was it to create an opening that he could quickly escape through. What Link had hoped for, had counted on, was their reaction to both knocking back their leader and then attacking them as if she was nothing of merit.

Nearly all the Shinobi launched down at Link with their blades at the ready, their eyes burning, and their leader looked at them in a mixture of surprise and some disappointment at the lack of control. Link's eyes burned when they were almost in striking range and his fists clenched tightly.

"...!" Link roared loudly, or would have if one could hear, as white flames erupted from him in a twenty foot dome and slammed into the incoming mages to send them flying back, smoking and smoldering.

The instant the fire dissipated, Link quickly ran to where he had fired his blast while reaching into his pouch as the rest of the Shinobi mages, seven in total, launched after him, this time wary and ready to move at an instant's moment as they prepared throwing knives or shuriken. They quickly jumped up as Link dropped what looked to be a bomb on the ground before two of them realized what it was.

_Flash- AAAAAHHH!_ They both thought before screaming soundlessly in pain as a bright flash erupted from the flash bomb Link left, making all of them shield their eyes in pain against the blinding light.

For several seconds they had neither sight nor hearing, and each second that went by seemed an eternity as they waited for a sudden attack from Link. In truth the veterans hoped for it, for they had long trained to fight while both blind and deaf, but Link was no fool and already figured out who this group likely to be and just what they were capable of, and he was still anxious about Fairy Tail. He was already moving to get some distance so he could find a place to utilize Farore's Wind without being interrupted.

The leader, having figured that Link would have continued his flight, turned her head to one of her now badly burned shinobi. _Turn off the Enchantment. _She commanded not through her fingers, but rather with telepathy, before sending another telepathic message, one that informed another which direction Link had run off to before the flash bomb had gone off.

Link ran fast, nothing more than a green blur as he used Farore's Wind to increase his speed, for several minutes before finally stopping and looking back to make sure there was no pursuit. He had already noticed the return of his hearing and with it, he hoped, indicated the return of his Maharathi as well. _No pursuit... _Link wondered in mild confusion, not hearing any incoming footsteps, before he shook his head and closed his eyes.

A green aura slowly appeared around him as a light wind began to swirl around him. As the wind began to pick up its pace, Link's eyes suddenly shot open and he jumped back, canceling the spell, to narrowly avoid a blur of movement that blew past him from his right to his left. As he landed on his feet a thin cut appeared on his chest even as he turned to face this new attacker, covered in a large cloak but with no visible weapon in hand, while Equipping his Gilded Sword to his left hand and Hylian Shield to his right, which he put in front of him protectively. _Damnit, if this fight takes too long then-_

"Shinobi shall not pursue you further, _Maharathi_." The cloaked figure said, the somewhat muffled voice twisting the last word to be more of an insult, and Link's eyes narrowed slightly, hardly put at ease by this one's words.

What had Link most on guard though, was the way this one spoke. _That accent... _He thought and his grip on his sword tightened a fraction, he knew that accent.

In a sudden explosion of movement, the attacker tossed away the cloak to reveal a young woman about his age; her hair raven black and was in a pony tail that went to mid back, her eyes a crystalline blue, and her skin a creamy brown. She wore flowing tan pants and a matching, sleeveless vest that was cut high to reveal a toned stomach and with a hole on each side six inches below her arms.

Link's eyes shot open in shock as he took a small step back, his shield and sword dropping with his guard. "G-Guru?" He asked in surprise, recognizing the woman's the face.

The woman's eyes tightened slightly before she exploded forward in a rush, Equipping a broad scimitar in her right hand and a javelin in her left, and such was her speed that she blew past the surprised Link before he could react, leaving him with two slashes across his torso that instantly shot out blood.

* * *

Guru - Master/Teacher

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	18. A False Claim

Chapter Sixteen

Link's eyes widened as blood spurted from the two wounds on his chest before he quickly turned to block the scimitar with his shield and parry the javelin with his sword as his attacker came back in for another attack. As he parried he immediately ran the blade down the javelin's length, forcing her to disengage or risk losing her fingers.

_Focus! _Link demanded of himself as he readied himself for another attack. _She's not Guru, she's too young and has blue eyes! _He told himself, though he could not deny the resemblance that had thrown him off at first. Before he could think too much of it he had to block and parry another flurry of attacks before his eyes narrowed. He could worry about their resemblance later, it was time to take the offensive away from her.

Link started with a half-step forward into her attacks while shoving out with his shield to force her back then sent out several lightning fast thrusts to force her back further, or should have had she not moved smoothly to avoid them then parried the last one with her scimitar and stepped forward to thrust with her javelin.

Link easily blocked the thrust while ducking down then pushed up with his shield to send her arm up. While it was being pushed up, Link suddenly Ex-Equipped his shield and grabbed her arm for the split second he needed to Equip his Silver Gauntlets, which was quickly followed by a kick into her stomach that sent her flying back. Despite the force of Link's kick she was able to land on her feet, though she still slid back several feet, and quickly launched her javelin at him as he moved in to keep the offensive.

Link deflected the javelin with his scimitar even as he Equipped another scimitar to his right hand and weaved his two swords in a blur that forced his opponent further back as she Equipped a long, mutli-headed and bladed whip. She flicked her wrist and sent the whip out in a flaring pattern meant to ensnare Link, but he narrowly avoided the worst of it, getting one small scratch on his right arm, then jumped back to analyze this new weapon.

"Do you even know how high your crime is, _Maharathi_?" She suddenly asked as the two locked stares while blood continued to drip from Link's wounds and his eyes narrowed slightly. "I see... so you do know." She said and if anything the anger in her eyes grew. "That makes it so much more DAMNING!" She screamed as she attacked with whip again, making small adjustments to her grip and wrist angle to have each end once again flare around Link to trap him.

Instead of trying to dodge, this time Link rushed forward then jumped into a spinning two sword slash that sliced through the whip and quickly got him in range for several slashes and thrusts. This time he scored two shallow hits that forced her further back even as she Ex-Equipped the ruined whip and Requiped a second scimitar before she launched back at him.

Sparks flew as the two combatants met in a flurry of steel, neither of them able to penetrate the other's defenses. _No... it can't be. _The female fighter thought in rising anger as Link foiled attack after attack. _He can't have the skill of a real Maharathi! _She thought before going in a sudden frenzy, taking Link by surprise and forcing him to fall back.

As she continued her attack, Link suddenly caught her blades and then forced the hilts to lock with his, trapping them effectively, then utilized his greater strength to push her back with the full intention of slamming her into one of the stone trees, thus preventing her movement. The second she realized that she quickly Ex-Equipped both scimitars while she ducked down and jumped to the side.

Link, unable to stop his momentum, decided instead to add it and cut through the stone tree in two clean strokes before he jumped up towards the top of the tree to kick it back at his attacker. She looked at the incoming stone tree with narrowed eyes before she jumped to the left to avoid it while Equipping a serrated scythe, ready to parry any incoming attack from Link.

To her surprise, Link was merely standing on top of the fallen tree and looking down at her. "Why now?" He asked quietly and her eyes narrowed again, though she did notice the tears in his shirt seemed to be closing at a slow but steady pace even though his wounds still looked to be in the same state. "Weekly Sorcerer gave me that title two years ago... why now?" Link clarified and after a few seconds of silence she gave a small sigh as she spun her scythe.

"She kept saying you would let them know the mistake they were making in giving you that title before you had truly earned it." She said before she glared up at him. "Finally, even she could not hold back the fury of Kali." She said and Link's eyes widened slightly as it started to make sense.

_Guru's younger sister... _Link realized as he tensed up slightly before pausing. _But no, they are-_

"Do you wish to know what my mother told me to do in front of her?" She asked and suddenly it all fit together for him even as he nodded his head. " 'Bring the head of the fool who would claim what is not his.' " She said but if that declaration phased Link at all, it certainly didn't show. " 'Yes... after you kill him, bring his head back and show me that I was wrong to trust him,' is what was said in return." She continued and at that Link's eyes widened slightly before he shocked her by smiling slightly as he looked down.

_Guru... so this is it. _Link thought before his eyes hardened again as he Ex-Equipped both swords and once again locked glares with his opponent. After a few seconds he equipped a staff with two steel spiked balls four inches in diameter at each end. "I have no intention of giving up my claim to be a Maharathi." Link stated firmly and the woman launched up at him at a speed that would baffle even trained fighters and mages.

As soon as she moved, Link launched down to meet her even as she swung her scythe to cut him in half, having anticipated his charge. At the last second Link disappeared in a green flash and reappeared a foot below her and quickly thrust the staff up into her.

She quickly spun in the air with her swing while bringing her right foot on the side of the staff to push it away while she quickly brought her scythe to bear for another slash. This time, however, Link retaliated by thrusting his left hand at her and sent a blast of fire into her stomach, sending her flying back, and tossed his staff into a spinning arc above him as he Equipped a large boomerang.

Link sent the boomerang spinning after her as he landed lightly on the ground and caught his staff as his opponent twirled her scythe before bringing the blade down into the center of the boomerang and, with subtle manipulation, was able to alter the trajectory to send it flying back at him. Link, rather than move out of the way, waited calmly as the boomerang came flying in at him while his opponent landed lightly on her feet and ran in the wake of the boomerang.

Link jumped up as the boomerang was about to hit him and landed lightly in the middle near its outer point on the toes of his boots and was soon spinning rapidly as he kept perfect balance while going back at his now surprised opponent.

She quickly recovered and prepared to jump to the side and offer a sweeping slash when Link, while still spinning, Ex-Equipped the boomerang as a red aura appeared around his staff and let it slide so that he held one end with both hands. His opponent narrowly got her scythe in position to block the strike, but the force of the blow, as well as the explosion of energy, sent her slamming into one of the stone trees, making her cough up blood, as well as shattering the scythe.

That would have been the perfect time for Link to end the fight and she knew it, but when she looked up she saw Link slightly dazed from his ride but recovered enough to start his charge at her as he spun his staff to build up momentum. Deciding to switch tactics, she Ex-Equipped the scythe and Equipped a pair of leather gloves with yards of steel wire around them and thrust her right hand out at him, sending several strands at Link.

Link quickly jumped to the side to avoid the wires only to find himself looking into more steel wires flowing in from her left glove. Right as he was about to be entwined he disappeared in a green flash and appeared on top of another tree and Ex-Equipped his staff to Equip the Fairy Bow and sent a barrage of arrows down at her as he jumped across the trees. His attacker flexed her arms and brought them in close to her body and the wires sliced the arrows to pieces as they whirled around her before she brought the wires back to her gloves and moved in before jumping behind a tree to avoid another barrage of arrows.

Before she could try to formulate a different strategy, she was forced to start moving again as Link found another vantage point to continue firing at her. She became a blur of movement, only narrowly avoiding arrow after arrow as she moved and spun, until suddenly one of the arrows exploded once it hit the ground, sending her slamming into another stone tree.

This time she swore several of her ribs cracked, still weakened from the previous attack, but she had no time to recover as three arrows, a red glow around the arrow heads, came flying in rapid succession. She once again narrowly avoided the arrows but was sent flying from the eruptions from the Fire Arrows.

She rolled once she hit the ground and came up and sent the wires around her in a barrier that caught two Ice Arrows, which made them freeze and then shatter. Her eyes went wide in surprise right as Link appeared above her in a green flash with another Fire Arrow knocked and ready as the finishing blow.

This time only instinct saved her as she jumped to the side at the last moment but was once again sent flying as the Fire Arrow erupted while Link teleported at the last second to avoid the blast and appeared in her path to swing the Fairy Bow like a staff into her stomach, knocking the wind from her, before spinning it to hit her in the back of her head. Right before the bow could impact she spun in the air, narrowly avoiding the blow, then went into an upside spin kick that caught Link square in the jaw and sent him flying.

Link spun in the air and landed nimbly on the ground while his opponent Equipped two belt-fed automatic crossbows and fired bolt after bolt at the nimble Link as moved in a blur to avoid the incoming barrage. While he jumped around to avoid the assault his ears suddenly twitched and his eyes widened in alarm right before five, six-foot werewolves charged out from behind the trees, drool dripping from their fangs, at the female assailant.

Sensing the danger, she quickly turned and unleashed a volley of bolts at them, bringing down two before the others moved to evade the incoming bolts, before she jumped to the side as Link came charging in. Even as she spun to bring him in her sights, Link continued to charge past her as he Ex-Equipped the Fairy Bow and Requipped the Megaton Hammer to his left hand and the Gilded Sword to his right hand to engage the three remaining werewolves.

_What? _She thought in surprise as Link deftly sidestepped the first werewolf to slam the Megaton Hammer into the second's chest as he delivered a backslash at the first werewolf, the Gilded Sword surrounded by a cold aura.

The effects were very different but equally devastating as the Megaton Hammer sent out a devastating shockwave on impact that caused the second werewolf to fly back, its torso completely shattered, into the third and slamming them both through a stone oak as an icy wave shot out from the Gilded Sword to completely freeze the first werewolf.

The third werewolf, badly injured but still unbeaten, struggled to stand when it looked up in time to get a bomb, kicked by Link, straight into its face right before it detonated, finishing it off.

Link quickly turned back to face his unmoving and burned opponent, who was looking at him curiously as she panted from her injuries. "Why didn't you... use the opening those werewolves gave you?" She panted out and after a couple of seconds Link straightened as he Ex-Equipped the Megaton Hammer and Requipped the Master Sword to his left hand.

"I will not allow myself to win this fight due to outside distractions." Link explained simply he brought his left leg back as put the Gilded Sword in front of him and the Master Sword angled up over his head.

She did not respond for several seconds as she studied him before spreading her arms out to Equip two scimitars and put them through a quick spin. "It seems...I underestimated both your... skill as well as your character." She said as she brought scimitars up high and squared her stance. "It embarrasses me to admit this... but it seems I cannot defeat you... without going full force." She said before closing her eyes.

_The magic taught to all true Maharathi's once they have earned their title... _Link thought as four extra arms grew out through the holes in her vest, giving her a total of six arms, and Equipped two short spears and two more scimitars. _Brahma. _Link thought as he prepared for the coming onslaught of attacks.

"Link?" Mirajane's voice suddenly called out, making them both pause in confusion before a green circle with Mirajane's face in the center appeared in front of Link. Link's eyes immediately went wide in concern when he saw the worry and fear on her face. "Link, something's terrible happened." Mirajane said before looking down. "Phantom Lord attacked us and even hospitalized Jet, Droy, and Levy to provoke a fight with us." She said and Link's eyes shot wide in surprise. "And Master..." Mirajane said before trailing off and Link's eyes shone with alarm. "He's in a critical condition, it seems Master Jose had a trap setup for him that drained most of his magical energy." She said and Link's eyes narrowed when Mirajane's image suddenly shook.

Mirajane looked around in surprise as other voices of surprise filtered through the circle before she spun around. "Erza, wait!" She yelled and the green circle vanished as she ran out of sight, but those last words had Link's eyes flaring in concern and surprise once again before closing as he once again started to activate Farore's Wind. His distraction nearly cost him his life as his opponent rushed in with a flurry of slashes and thrusts from every angle.

Link quickly teleported away before the blades pierced his flesh and looked at her in surprise as she turned back with her weapons up and at the ready. "You didn't think... I would let you escape punishment... so easily, did you?" She asked and Link glared at her as his grip tightened on the hilts of his swords.

"Let me help my friends." Link commanded as he pointed the Master Sword at her, no compromise in his tone or expression.

"Defeat me first." She said in reply before charging forward, readying her weapons to slice him to pieces and Link charged forward to meet her then suddenly tilted his body while balancing on his left foot. The two met and the sound of steel clashing against steel echoed through the Iron Forest as a shockwave blew out that caused the stone branches of the trees to shake and rattle.

Link's opponent looked at him in wide-eyed surprise, for Link had utilized a style she had never even heard of before. In addition to the Master and Gilded Sword, which had been used to parry the top two scimitars, Link had Equipped two fin-like blades strapped to his forearms, which had parried away the thrusts of the short spears, that extended a full foot past his elbows as well as two katanas held in the back of his knees that were used to parry the down to up strikes of the lower scimitars.

Before she could recover from her shock a red aura exploded from Link, cracking the ground under him and throwing her off balance. "HYAAAAAA! !" Link roared with blue flames dancing in his eyes as he exploded forward in a high-speed spin that shattered her weapons as he tore into her, sending her flying into the air in a cyclone of red energy.

_"Uma, there's something you should know before you leave to fight." _Another woman's words suddenly echoed through her mind and her eyes widened slightly as blood gushed from a dozen gashes all over her body.

___Uma and a middle-aged woman bearing a striking resemblance to her, except for shorter hair and red eyes, stood in a marble hallway with a large door behind the older woman._"I know that first Kali and Paravti wish you to test him to see if he's worthy to die by a Maharathi's hand, and I know you shall act accordingly and with honor so that only Link is ambushed." She said as she looked at Uma. "But should his friends need his help, do not stand in his way." She said and Uma looked at her in surprise before bowing.

_"If that is your comma-"_

_"It is not a command, for I do not tell people how to fight their battles." She interrupted, making Uma look up at her in confusion. "Consider it good advice." She said before turning around and opening the door. "My student... he is the kind of man who doesn't know how to hold back when he must help those he holds dear." She explained before walking into the room, closing the door and leaving Uma with a puzzled look on her face.  
_

_I... understand... _Uma thought as she fell to the ground_, _the broken remains of her weapons falling from her hands while her extra arms shrank back into her body. _Before... he wasn't going... full force... either... _She realized as darkness started to creep into her vision.

She realized in surprise that she was in someone's arms and looked up to see Link's intense face before he landed lightly on the ground and carefully put her down. All she could do was look at him in dull shock as he quickly pulled a vial filled with a pink liquid as well as a small jar and several rolls of bandages.

Link quickly pulled the stopper from the vial and brought it to her mouth to drink, which she had no strength to resist. As soon as the vial was empty she felt some of her strength return, not enough for a full recovery but enough so that she could move, albeit with difficulty. "Can you pass on a message to Guru?" Link asked as he stood back up and closed his eyes and was quickly surrounded by a green aura. "Please tell her, 'Your foresight is truly terrifying'." He said as a strong wind swirled around him.

"W-what?" Uma asked weakly in surprise and Link opened his eyes to offer a small grin before dispersing into dozens of green orbs that quickly flew off. Her throbbing wounds reminded her she didn't have much to time to worry about Link's message yet as she slowly reached for the jar Link had left behind.

Right before her hand could touch the jar, another hand grabbed her wrist in an iron grip and she quickly looked up to find herself surrounded by mages from Shinobi. "Our Master has a response to your request." The bald Shinobi that had first tricked Link into coming said as he looked at her coldly and her eyes narrowed despite her situation, determined to show no fear.

**_Fairy Tail_**

"EVERYONE GET DOWN! !" Erza screamed as she Equipped a full plate armor, complete with a faceless helm with two large spikes at the top, with a large shield on each arm.

Everyone in Fairy Tail had gathered outside, drawn to see what had caused the building to shake, and most of them still had expressions of shock and horror to see the walking castle of Phantom Lord out in the large lake with the large barrel of their Jupiter Cannon, a cannon that converted and focused magical power, pointed at them and fully charged.

"ERZA, ARE YOU CRAZY? !" Gray demanded before he grabbed Natsu as he attempted to charge by and tackled him to the ground. "Stop you idiot! What are you thinking? !" Gray yelled at Natsu as he tried to break free of Gray. _Damnit, even with the Adamantine Armor it's crazy to try and take a direct blast from that! _Gray thought in concern as Erza stood defiant.

"OBLITERATE THEM!" Jose, Master of Phantom Lord, roared and the Jupiter Cannon fired a large blast of energy at the damaged Guild House.

"ERZAAA! !" Natsu roared as Erza brought her arms together and locked the shields together, creating a large magical shield built to withstand all but the most powerful of magical attacks and remain unscathed.

Erza didn't know what would happen to her from taking a magical blast of that power head on, but she did know at the very least she could prevent it from hitting her Guild. "HAAAAAAAA! !" Erza screamed in defiance as the blast slammed into her shield and pushed her back slightly before she stood firm. _Hold firm... HOLD FIRM! _Erza mentally screamed at herself even as she continued to scream loudly against the pain.

After several seconds of holding firm, Erza started to get pushed back again as the shield started to crack. _Just... a little... _Erza told herself when an image of Link came to her mind. Immediately her eyes snapped open as she once again stood firm. "HAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! !" Erza screamed as she gave one last heroic push to keep the blast back when suddenly it disappeared, its power expended.

Jose's eyes went wide in shock, an expression shared by everyone else, as he looked at Erza as she continued to stand strong, her arms still up and the magical shield still active.

"In...incredible..." Natsu said in awe right before the magical shield shattered, along with the Adamantine Armor.

"Erza!" One voice suddenly called out as Erza started to sway and everyone looked over to see Link sprint past them, nothing more than a green blur. Link barely reached her as she fell back and quickly caught her then slowly went down to one knee as he kept a firm grip on her. "Erza?" Link asked, his voice thick with concern as he used one hand to open his pouch and pull another vial filled with the same pink liquid he had given Uma.

_Link? _Erza thought weakly as she stirred and slowly opened her eyes to look up and see Link looking down at her in concern, though relief quickly shined through shortly after her eyes opened.

"FAIRY TAIL!" Jose's voice suddenly roared from Phantom Lord's castle, his voice amplified many times over. "ERZA SCARLET IS NOW UNABLE TO FIGHT!" He continued and several of them looked at each other in concern. "EVEN WITH THE ADDITION OF LINK, YOU CANNOT HOPE TO WIN WITHOUT MAKAROV! YOU ONLY HAVE ONE HOPE FOR SURVIVAL!" He said and Lucy's eyes tightened as she looked down. "HAND OVER LUCY HEARTPHILIA, AND I SHALL LEAVE YOU ALL TO YOUR PATHETIC LIVES!" Jose demanded and Erza turned her head to glare at the castle.

"Bastard..." Erza said weakly before looking back up at Link when she felt his body tremble.

"If we hand over Lucy... you'll just leave?" Link confirmed as he looked down and everyone, who had gotten ready to refuse, looked at him in shock for, though his bangs hid his expression from everyone but Erza, his ears were drooping limply and even Erza was looking at him in surprise.

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Jose confirmed and after several seconds of silence Lucy slowly started to walk forward when suddenly Natsu and Gray crossed their arms out in front of her.

"Gray..." Natsu said before trailing off as he looked at Link with a tense expression.

"Yeah..." Gray said with a nod of his head, his expression equally tense. "I've never seen Link _that _angry before either." He said and everyone looked at them in surprise, though their eyes remained fixed on Link. More specifically, on the tips of Link's ears as they twitched eratically.

"I have a deal for you." Link said as he slowly stood up after giving Erza the potion and turned to glare at the castle, his eyes burning with righteous anger. "Leave now, and you will still keep your Guild House as a place for the Council to question you for your actions." He said as he walked closer to the shore of the lake.

"YOU DARE-!"

"Silence." Link said with a sweep of his right hand, though Jose only stopped talking from sheer shock at Link's audacity.

"Someone like you could never understand..." Erza said as she slowly got up to one knee, the empty vial at her side. "WE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN BETRAY OUR NAKAMA!" Erza screamed as she glared up at the castle.

"OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH! !" All of Fairy Tail roared in agreement as Lucy brought her hand to her mouth in shock.

"To suggest anything less of us is the largest insult you can give to Fairy Tail." Link said as he Equipped his Gilded Sword, Master Sword, and Mirror Shield to his back.

"AND THOSE THAT INSULT FAIRY TAIL..." Natsu roared as he slammed two flame covered fists together while everyone else also prepared for battle.

"**PAY! !**" All of Fairy Tail roared in one voice, ready once more to fight for the sake of their nakama, as Lucy slowly sank to her knees as tears of disbelief, shame, and joy appeared in her eyes.

* * *

I would like to apologize on how long this took, but life kicked into high gear for a while.

Also, to those who might be curious there is more to the first part of the chapter than what I've just written... another part of the reason this took me a while was actually settling on names and more in-depth info.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	19. Reckless Plan

Chapter Seventeen

Jose glared out from the control room of his walking castle at the defiant Fairy Tail before he gritted his teeth.

"VERY WELL THEN!" Jose roared angrily at Fairy Tail. "IF YOU ALL WISH TO DIE, THEN I'LL FIRE AN EVEN MORE POWERFUL BLAST FROM THE JUPITER CANNON!" He declared and he felt some small feeling of satisfaction at the shock and disbelief that appeared on most of their faces. "NOW STRUGGLE THROUGH THE TERROR OF CERTAIN DESTRUCTION FOR THE NEXT FIFTEEN MINUTES AS IT RELOADS!" He roared before looking at his technicians, who were already in the process of reloading the Jupiter Cannon.

Back down on the ground, several of the Fairy Tail mages were looking at each other in fear.

"N-no way..." One of them stammered out as he took a small step back.

"They'll fire it again?" Another asked when suddenly dozens of shadowy wraiths flew out from the castle toward them.

"YOU HAVE BUT TWO OPTIONS!" Jose roared. "YOU CAN BE KILLED BY SOLDIERS! OR YOU CAN BE COMPLETELY OBLITERATED BY JUPITER!" He declared and Link's eyes narrowed slightly. "EITHER WAY, YOU SHALL KNOW HOW PATHETIC YOU ARE AGAINST THE POWER OF PHANTOM LORD!"

"Damnit..." Erza said as she slowly pushed herself up to her feet. "We'll have to destroy it." She said before Link thrust his left hand out, making everyone look at him in surprise from the sudden movement, then Equipped his Golden Gauntlets. "Link?" Erza asked but all she got in response was his ears flicking once before pointing straight back as his hand tightened into a fist.

"Din, Goddess of Power." Link said as he continued to glare at the walking castle and a red aura exploded from him, cracking the ground and making everyone's hair and loose clothing whip around wildly. "Beacon of hope, flame of destruction." He said and Erza's eyes went side. "Grant to me now thine heavenly flames!" He said before his eyes narrowed as the red aura swirled and intensified.

"LINK! NOT THAT SPELL!" Erza yelled as she shielded her eyes against the wind due to her weakened state.

"AND HUMBLE THE ARROGANT WITH TRUE MIGHT!" Link roared and the red aura erupted into golden flames that flared wildly around him.

All of Fairy Tail looked at Link in varying degrees of shock and surprise as the flames flared around him.

"Golden... flames...?" Natsu asked slowly in surprise and Link crouched down slightly when a man with black and white hair, dressed in a red coat with a katana at his side, as well as a black line tattooed across his face appeared on top of the Jupiter Cannon barrel.

The man was Totomaru, one of the Element 4; four of the strongest mages of Phantom Lord. He was also known as Totomaru of the Conflagration for his affiliation with the element of fire.

_Hmph. _Totomaru thought as he crossed his arms across his chest and looked at the golden flames around Link. _Those are powerful flames. _He thought before he smirked. _It shall be a pleasure to take them from you, Maharathi Link._ He thought when Link kicked the ground, creating a ten foot wide and deep crater, to launch up and toward the castle. "All flames are mine to command." He said as he put one hand out towards the incoming Link and sent his will out to the flames.

Nothing happened.

Totomaru's eyes widened in shock before he sent his will once more at the incoming Link and the flames surrounding him.

Nothing happened.

"Im-impossible!" Totomaru yelled in disbelief as he took a step back in shock. "ALL FLAMES ARE-"

"DIN'S!" Link roared as he came down at the barrel where it extended out from the castle and punched down with his left fist, the flames now completely surrounding only his hand. "EXPLOSION!" He roared and the golden flames erupted outward in a violent explosion that consumed everything in a hundred foot radius and sent chunks of debris flying.

The force of the explosion was felt back on shore, making several people shield their eyes, as everyone else looked on in shock.

"Whoa..." Natsu said before he was forced to jump to the side avoid one of Jose's phantoms.

"Damn..." Erza said with concern in her eyes before Equipping a sword to her hand and then stood up to easily slash two phantoms that came in at her. _Link, what are you thinking? _She wondered before looking to the side at another incoming phantom while a roasted figure flew overhead and further into Magnolia.

"Ice Make: Lance!" Gray suddenly yelled and three ice lances slammed into the phantom, making it disappear. "Erza, what's Link's plan? !" He demanded as he closed in on her before having to jump to the side as the phantom reappeared and attempted to slam into him.

Erza was silent for several seconds as she slashed down phantom after phantom before making a sound of annoyance. "Link's eyes were too full of anger." She said as she shook her head. "I don't know if he had a plan or just wanted to puni- !" Erza started to say before freezing as her eyes widened slightly.

"KARYU NO HOUKO!" Natsu roared as a blast of fire shot from his mouth into a group of phantoms that attempted to attack Lucy.

"Gah!" Wakaba suddenly yelled as he turned his attention from a phantom right before it reformed and passed through him, sending a cold feeling through him that sapped his strength. "What the hell...?" He asked as he dropped to his knees.

"Wakaba!" Macao shouted before he sent his hand out in a wide arc and sent out a thin stream of purple flame to destroy any phantoms close to him.

"Everyone, these things are cursed!" Cana shouted in warning before bringing up three cards in her hand. "Heaven, Reverse Death, Mountain." She said before sweeping her arm out to shoot green lightning at more of the phantoms. "Meshaikou!" She cried out as the phantoms fried.

"Damnit Link, this is reckless even for Natsu!" Erza suddenly said; making several people, Natsu included, look at her in surprise. "Natsu, Gray, we're going in to help Link!" She yelled before she paused and looked at Elfman, doing his best to avoid being touched by the phantoms. "Elfman, you're coming too!" She ordered and Elfman looked over at her then nodded his head.

Natsu looked over at Lucy, who was already pulling her whip from her side. "Go, I'll do my part here." She said firmly before she sent out her whip to crack into a phantom, making it disappear. Natsu looked at her for a couple more seconds then nodded his head with a grin before running towards Erza.

"Happy!" Natsu yelled as he jumped into the air and immediately the blue flying feline was there to grab him. "Let's beat the others there!" He declared with a feral grin.

"Aye, sir!" Happy said with a nod of his head and quickly took off towards the decimated yet still standing castle.

"Natsu, wait!" Erza yelled as they flew by, but Natsu only waved at her. "Tch." She said in annoyance before looking at Gray and Elfman. "Okay you two, let's hurry." She said and they both nodded their heads.

**_Jose_**

Inside the castle, Jose was obviously in a foul mood as he looked at his magical technicians from his chair.

First, Lucy had escaped from his clutches by kicking him in the crotch with bone crunching force; which would put almost any man in a foul mood right away.

Second, the blast from his Jupiter Canon had been completely stopped by Erza the Titania. Though she had obviously used up most of her magic in the attempt, the mere fact that there was another mage beside Makarov within Fairy Tail capable of such a feat without dying from it made his blood boil.

Third, his attempt at a peaceful solution had been not only rejected but he had also might as well been spat in the face by all of Fairy Tail for their impertinence and refusal to admit their defeat.

Fourth, Link had destroyed close to half of his castle.

Thus, it was only because the poor magic technician was asked directly did he give the answer he knew Jose would not want to hear.

"Sir, going to the MK II is impossible at this point." The man said hesitantly and Jose's eyes flashed red for several hear-stopping moments, making them all quiver in fear. "The damage done was too extensive, the castle couldn't even begin to initiate the process!" He explained more quickly this time and Jose gritted his teeth before he stopped to take a calming breath.

"Very well then, begin plans for the castle's restoration." Jose said and they immediately nodded their heads then quickly took off.

"Non, non, non, it seems Totomaru couldn't capture Link's flames, non, non." A man with spiky green hair and mustache, wearing a brown, pointed coat, said as he wiggled from side to side, his feet deep in the ground. The monocle over his right eye reflected the light for a second as he wiggled back and forth.

"Yes... drip, drip, drop... this Link must have greater control over his fire than Totomaru thought... drip, drip, drop." A woman with blue hair and dressed in a heavy blue dress said expressionlessly as she folded her hands over the pink umbrella she held.

Tear drops suddenly fell to the ground from a large man as they fell past the blindfold over his eyes. "So sad... to lose a comrade is just too sad..." He sniffled before they all paused as Jose's grip on his chair tightened.

"GIHIHIHIHIHI!" A man with spiky black hair and red eyes roared in amusement. "To lose to someone from Fairy Tail, he was just trash after all." He said before giving an evil smirk.

"I want that fool, Link, brought before me." Jose said darkly and the man with green hair bowed deeply.

"Don't worry, Master Jose." The man said respectfully. "Totomaru was the weakest of us after all, and as we speak Link is being attacked by most of our Guild." He said and the woman nodded her head.

"It's just as Monsieur Sol says, Master." She said and Jose's grip slackened before he gave a cold smirk and leaned back. "Juvia will head down to ensure this... drip, drip, drop." She added before she turned around and walked out.

"Sol, find a place to ambush them as well." Jose ordered and Sol gave another deep bow before disappearing into the ground. "Aria, you will wait in the next room for them to bring Link before me." He ordered next to the large man and Aria bowed his head, his large top hat sliding slightly with the movement.

"As you will, Master." Aria said then immediately turned and walked out.

"I've got something I wanna try." The black-haired man said as he turned around then walked after the technicians and his smirk widened. "It should be a fun way to get back at them." He added before laughing again, to which Jose's smirk widened a few inches.

"You will fall, Fairy Tail." Jose said with his cold smirk still in place once the black-haired man had walked out. "And then all will see Phantom Lord as the most powerful Guild in Fiore." He said, his eyes flashing with malicious pleasure.

**_Link_**

"Gah!" A middle-aged man yelled as he went flying back before several of his comrades joined him in his flight.

"Just how strong is this bastard? !" Another mage yelled as he fired blast after blast of lightning at Link, who was able to nimbly dodge each attack as he continued his assault against the dozens of mages around him.

The Master Sword and Gilded Sword gleamed brightly as he wove them in intricate patterns that threw off any mages that came in close before they were blown away from the sheer power of his attacks, even though his Golden Gauntlets had been replaced with his Silver.

_Most of them are equal to Nab in terms of fighting ability. _Link thought as he tore through them, sweat dripping from his forehead. _Even with my injury and half of my magical power gone, it shouldn't be too draining. _Link determined as he shifted his body to take a blast of light on his back, which was quickly absorbed by the Mirror Shield before being shot back out again to take out five more mages.

Suddenly five of them stood together and brought their hands up as they each prepared their own attack. "Take this!" They all yelled before they each shot a different element; ice, fire, light, darkness, and lightning. "Gogyou Heki!" They yelled as the blasts came in at Link, who simply jumped over the blasts and towards them as the mages on the other side of Link were hit by the blast and sent flying. The five that had shot at Link looked up at him in surprise and fear before shock dominated their expression as Link suddenly disappeared in a green flash to show a human fireball flying down at them.

"KARYU NO YOKUGEKI!" Natsu roared as he blew into them, scattering them and sending them flying through the air. "How dare you try to hog all the fun again!" Natsu said before turning to deliver a fiery punch to a mage that attempted to attack him from behind.

Link just gave a small sigh before going into a leaping spin while surrounded by an ice cold aura, freezing another six mages, then sent a blast of fire from his mouth at another mage.

Half a minute later, Gray dropped down on top of three mages and slammed them into the ground. "Ice Make: Axe!" Gray said as he sent his left hand out in a horizontal arc and a wide blade of ice shot out and slammed into several mages. "One hell of a mess you two are making here." Gray remarked with a smirk and Natsu laughed while Link offered a small grin.

Over the next several minutes Erza and Elfman were also dropped off and the rest of the mages were lying about unconscious.

After several seconds Erza walked over to Link and stared into his eyes. "Hmph, I thought so." She said as she shook her head. "A reckless plan is all you have." She said and Link hesitated before he sighed and nodded his head in acknowledgement before he turned and headed further into the castle, the others quickly falling in behind him.

"Either of you care to let us in on this plan?" Gray asked as they ran further in when they had just about reached the part of the castle that wasn't decimated yet.

"Basically, we need to-" Erza started to say before blinking as a drop of rain hit her in the nose. The drop was quickly followed by many more, the weather going from sunny to a hard rain in only moments. "Link..." Erza said as she looked at him, but he held his hands up to show he didn't even have his Ocarina out.

"Wait, didn't Lucy say something about- GAH!" Elfman started to say before they were knocked back as a jet of water slammed down between all of them then exploded outward.

Once the water cleared, there was Juvia standing with her umbrella opened to protect herself from the rain. "Drip, drip, drop..." Juvia said expressionlesly as she stood there before looking at all of them. "Juvia brings the rain... to wash out the filth in our Guild... drip, drip, drop." She said and Link quickly unsheathed his swords as Erza Equipped one of her own.

"You guys go on ahead, I'll take care of this!" Gray suddenly said before charging forward at Juvia, who quickly shifted her attention to him before freezing right as he was about to tackle her in order to keep her attention off the others. To his surprise though, he passed right through her body and landed behind her; to which they all stopped to look on in shock. _The hell... water? _Gray wondered as he rolled and quickly got back to his feet to get ready for her counter.

Instead, he found her still standing in the exact same spot and turned away from him. _What... what is this...? _Juvia wondered as a blush came to her face. _Juvia's heart... is beating so fast... _She thought before looking up in surprise as she heard the sound of people running. She quickly turned around to see Link, Erza, Elfman, Happy, and Natsu all heading towards the castle again and quickly thrust her hand out. "Wota Kane!" She yelled as a blast of water shot from her hand towards them but not one turned back.

Suddenly Gray appeared in front of the stream of water with his right fist over his left palm. "Ice Make: Shield!" Gray said as he spread his arms out and a shield of ice immediatelly appeared to block the stream of water, making it break apart. "I'm your opponent." Gray said as the ice shield disappeared and Juvia hesitated as another blush came to her face.

_Ice... Magic? _She thought before letting out a small squeal of girlish glee, making Gray's eyes widen in surprise as he took an unconscious step back. _So perfect... it fits so perfectly! _She thought excitedly before her eyes locked back on to him. _I have to have him! _She determined as she stuck her right hand out again. "Wota Rokku!" She said and before Gray could react he was caught in a large orb of water. The sudden violent movement caused his wound to reopen and made him wince slightly in pain, which in turn made Juvia's eyes widen in concern. _Oh no, I-_

"RRAAAAA!" Gray roared as he used his ice magic to break free from the orb then quickly put his right hand over his left palm. "Ice Make: Lance!" He yelled as he thrust both hands out and ten ice lances shot out from his hand and into then through Juvia while she was still recovering from her surprise at his escape. "Tch, even ice doesn't cause damage?" He wondered out loud and Juvia's eyes went from surprise to hurt as she looked down.

"That's right..." Juvia said softly and Gray's right eyebrow cocked curiously. "You are Phantom's enemy..." She said before looking at him with intense eyes. "You are... Juvia's enemy!" She screamed before thrusting both hands forward, letting her umbrella fly away. "WOTA NEBURA!" She screamed and a jet of water came from each mind before they started to twist around each other as they flew in at Gray.

Gray's injury prevented him from moving quickly enough to avoid the fast and powerful attack, ensuring he was hit with the full brunt of it. "AAAAHHHH! !" Gray yelled as he was sent flying into the air to slam into then through an already unsturdy pillar of stone. His eyes shot back open as he brought his hands together. "Ice Make: Grappling Hook!" Gray yelled before throwing his right arm out and immediately a grappling hook made of ice shot out and hooked onto another pillar. Gray pulled hard and swung back around towards Juvia then let go to fly through the air. "Ice Make: Lance!" He yelled as he sent another barrage of ice lances at her.

This time though, he aimed at the ground under her; and the ensuing destruction knocked her into the air where she slammed into a barely standing wall. "Gah!" Juvia yelled in pain and shock before erupting into a stream of water that elognated and went high into the air.

As Gray looked up in surprise, the upper portion of the water stream twisted then formed into Juvia's torso and up. "You cannot hurt Juvia." She said as she looked down at him and Gray's hands clenched into fists as his eyes tightened.

"We'll see about that." He said grimly in reply as he squared his stance and brought his right fist over his left palm.

* * *

Karyu no Houko - Fire Dragon's Roar

Meshaikou - Summoned Lightning

Gogyou Heki - Five Element Burst

Karyu no Yokugeki - Fire Dragon's Wing Attack

Wota Kane - Water Cane

Wota Rokku - Water Lock

Wota Nebura - Water Nebula

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	20. Weather the Elements

Chapter Eighteen

Juvia quickly twisted her liquid body around to avoid a volley of ice arrows shot by Gray then flew in at him with the speed of a white rapid. "HHAAAAAAAA!" She screamed as she closed in and Gray narrowly avoided her in time, though he was still sent back from the force of her impact with the ground. "Wota Sureisa!" Juvia yelled and several blades of water shot out from her body at Gray.

Gray's eyes widened in surprise before he nimbly jumped and flipped around them. He was quickly glad that none of the blades managed to hit him as he watched the blades pass through stone rubble as if they weren't there to begin with.

_Damnit, I've gotta think of something fast. _Gray thought as his injury from Leon throbbed painfully from his exertions. _I can't hit her physically, and if I keep dodging sooner or later she's gonna get an attack in. _He thought before he quickly took off his shirt then tossed it aside; playtime was over.

Juvia flew up into the air before turning around back at him, her body now a spinning vortex that sounded like dozens of sharp blades cutting through the air. "WOTA JIGUSA!" Juvia screamed as she flew in at Gray, who instinctively knew that he couldn't afford to narrowly dodge an attack this.

"Shit!" Gray exclaimed before thrusting both hands out at the incoming Juvia. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Gray roared as he put all his focus on freezing everything in front of him as Juvia slammed into him, forcing him back several feet. Though he was forced back, he was not sliced to ribbons as he was able to instead begin freezing her entire body.

"RRAAAAGGGHHHH!" Gray roared fiercely as he put more power into freezing and viciously forced his body forward to speed up the process when suddenly his hands encountered something round and soft. "Huh?" He said in confusion as he looked at his hands to see them firmly planted on the now frozen Juvia's breasts. "WAAAHHH!" He yelled in shock as he unconsciously squeezed his hands, getting a small moan from Juvia.

_To be in this situation... _Juvia thought as she closed her in eyes and blushed in embarrassment, when suddenly the ice around her shattered as Gray jumped away.

"Sorry!" Gray apologized as he blushed at what he had inadvertently done. "I... it was an accident!" He exclaimed as Juvia looked down in shock at being set free.

_He released me from the ice? ! _Juvia thought in shock. _Why would he do that? _She wondered, unable to comprehend such compassion in an opponent. _He's... _Juvia thought as tears came to her eyes. _He's so kind!_

"Do over!" Gray declared as he shook his head and Juvia looked at him surprise. "I call a do over, I refuse to win by something like that!" He said in embarrassment and for several moments Juvia was silent before she shook her head.

"It... might not be too late." Juvia said as she stood up and Gray looked at her in confusion. "If you hand over Lucy... Master Jose might be able to be convinced to spare everyone." Juvia said as she looked at the ground. _Especially since that Link is going towards him anyways. _She thought to herself.

"No way." Gray said firmly and Juvia looked up at him in surprise at his tone. "Lucy is our nakama, I'll die before I hand her over to Phantom." He declared as he glared angrily at her and Juvia's body locked up.

_"I'll die... I'll die... I'll die..." _Grays words echoed through her mind and her right eye started to twitch. _Love... it's love... Lucy is a rival in love! _She thought and her eyes started to burn with jealous anger, making Gray step back uncertainly as his expression shifted from anger to uncertainty. "Unforgivable..." Juvia said and Gray looked at her in confusion as her hands tightened into fists. "Unforgivable... unforgivable..." She said while steam started to rise from her body as her entire body tightened. "Juvia will... NEVER FORGIVE LUCY!" Juvia screamed and tears of rage and sorrow streamed from her eyes before her body changed back into water. "SIERRA!" She screamed as she flew towards Gray, steam coming up from her body.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING? !" Gray yelled in confusion before he noticed the steam as he tried to jump to the side. _Boiling wa- _"Gah!" Gray grunted in pain as he was grazed on his right, the impact spinning him around and leaving a burn mark where he had been hit. _Shit! _He thought as he started to bring his right hand over his left palm. "Ice Ma- AAHH!" Gray yelled as he was hit again and sent flying back to slam into the ground. _So fast! _Gray thought in shock even as he was able to finish putting his right fist over his left palm. "Ice Make: Shield!" He yelled as he thrust his left hand forward to create a shield of ice.

Juvia slammed into it with jarring force and Gray was quickly pushed farther back as his shield started to evaporate, making his eyes widen in surprise. _W-what? _He thought right before the shield shattered and hit Gray full on and he was sucked into the scalding water. Gray's scream of pain became nothing more than bubbles of air before he was sent flying out of the water to slam on the hard ground; where he rolled for several feet before finally stopping.

Gray quickly rolled onto his side and thrust both hands out, his eyes still shining with determination. "Ice Make: Lance!" He yelled as he sent eight ice lances shooting out at the incoming Juvia, whose gaze never wavered as he prepared to ignore them.

Suddenly the ice lances converged inward to slam into each other in front of Juvia and the resulting explosion of ice magic jolted Juvia; which made her veer off and slam through a barely standing wall. _That's it! _Gray thought with a pained grin as he slowly forced himself to his feet. _If I can't hit her directly, I just have to keep causing damage around her. _He realized before tensing as Juvia rose up into the air, her body no longer steaming.

"... I don't wish to fight you..." Juvia said as she looked down at him before quickly going back to the ground to stand before him in her regular form. "Please, this can be stopped." She said and Gray's eyes narrowed as he looked at her before he sliced his right arm out in front of him through the rain.

"This never even needed to happen!" Gray said harshly as he glared at her. "You bastards are the ones that decimated our Guild House... hospitalized Levy, Jet, and Droy... kidnapped Lucy..." He said before he gritted his teeth and his eyes glowed coldly with rage, making Juvia take a step back in fear. "And the old man... THE OLD MAN ALMOST DIED!" Gray roared before he put his right hand over his left palm. "ICE MAKE!" He roared before he lowered his stance and brought his hands out wide. "DOUBLE CANNON!" He roared and an ice cannon appeared in his left and right hand, making Juvia's eyes go wide in shock. "RRRAAAAAAGGHHHH!" Gray roared as he fired both cannons at the same time and though Juvia quickly jumped up to avoid them, they impacted right in front of where she had been.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Juvia screamed as the resulting explosion enveloped her and sent her flying up into the sky, her clothes now nothing more than tatters that barely preserved her modesty. _Is this... it? _Juvia thought as she fell down to the ground, her consciousness fading as she looked up into the rain even as it started to crystallize from the force of Gray's attack. _All my life... _She thought as her hands tightened into fists. _Juvia has never been wanted... not when I was a child. _She thought as she flashed back to her days in an orphanage, where all the kids would hope that she would never come along whenever they went on trips. _Not by my ex-boyfriend. _She thought as she recalled a man with shaggy blue hair that wore a white shirt and brown pants with a black cape. _Never wanted... just like the rain... _She thought before her eyes closed. _And now... just like the rain... I shall hit the ground and- what? _Juvia suddenly wondered in shock as felt someone grab.

Before she could look, Juvia was suddenly rolling quickly on the ground in someone's arm before they finally stopped. When she was able to open her eyes she saw that she was in Gray's arms as he held her protectively and immediately blushed.

Gray quickly set her down gently then moved back to collapse into a sitting position, his breathing heavy. "Sheesh... I can't believe I let my anger get the best of me." He said with a sigh as he brought his hand to his head. "Next thing you know I'm gonna start breathing fire." Gray muttered before he looked back at Juvia. "Hey, you okay?" He asked and for a while Juvia couldn't bring herself to speak.

Eventually though, she swallowed thickly and forced out her only question. "Why did you save me?" She asked and Gray looked at her in confusion before shrugging his shoulders.

"Don't know, didn't seem right to just let you die like that I guess." Gray said then slowly forced himself to his feet before he stumbled for a second. "Damn... well at least the rain stopped." Gray remarked as he stood tall and Juvia's eyes widened further as she looked up to see that the rain was indeed gone.

_What? _Juvia thought in surprise as the clouds started to break apart and rays of light started to shine through. _What is this? _She wondered as she squinted her eyes.

"That's better." Gray said as he shielded his eyes. "I don't understand why, but the sun somehow always looks better after it stops raining." He remarked with a grin.

_The sun? _Juvia thought as the warm sunlight hit her for the first time in her life. _It's so... beautiful... _She thought as tears of joy came to her eyes.

"So then..." Gray said as he wiped off his legs and Juvia looked over to see him grinning at her challengingly. "You wanna go another round?" He asked and Juvia let out a squeal before passing out, making Gray blink in surprise. "The hell...?" He wondered in confusion before he just shook his head with a sigh. "Well, looks like I won, at least." Gray said before he looked at where the others had run off then slowly started walking.

**_Link, Erza, Elfman, Happy, and Natsu_**

The five of them quickly ran through the castle, barely taking in the amazing architecture or artistry put into it, before Natsu smashed open a closed door and landed several feet in, where he immediately froze.

"Wait." Natsu said as he held his right arm up to stop them while he sniffed the air carefully. "There's someone here..." He said as he looked around and immediately the others dropped into ready stances, though Link nor Erza readied a weapon.

A few minutes went by and nothing happened, but Natsu could still smell someone in the room. "You're like a dog." Happy suddenly remarked as he pumped one paw into the air and Natsu's right eyebrow ticked before he turned around to glare at Happy.

"Don't call me a dog!" Natsu yelled before pausing when he saw Link looking at him inquisitively. "Tch, I don't know." Natsu said in annoyance as he looked around the room again. "I can smell someone, but I can't pin down where their scent is coming from." He said and Link walked up to him, his ears twitching as he sought to hear something to indicate where the person might be.

Thirty seconds went by and Link shook his head before running forward; they didn't have that much time to spare. The others quickly moved to catch up to him and they passed through the room swiftly when they all jumped back, Natsu grabbing Happy to pull him back, right before stone spikes shot up from the ground. "Non, non, quite impressive." Sol's voice echoed throughout the room and everyone looked around warily.

Sol suddenly appeared in the middle of the room and wiggled to the left and the right as he looked at them. "I was planning to get at least one of you with that, non." He said with a wicked grin as he played with his mustache.

"Tetsugyu!" Elfman suddenly said and his right arm changed into a large steel arm and he tightened his fist before he slammed it back through several of the stone spikes. "As a man, I'll take care of this." Elfman said firmly as he glared at Sol, and Natsu looked at Elfman before he immediately took off before Sol could react.

"Natsu!" Erza said in alarm as Natsu took off before Elfman charged forward as Sol brought his hands up and sent a pillar of earth out to attack Link.

"RRAAAAWW!" Elfman roared as he punched at the pillar, shattering it from the force of his punch. "Go!" Elfman said fiercely as he looked at them intensely. After a few seconds, Link and Erza both nodded their heads before taking off; Happy already flying off after Natsu.

"Non, non, non, you really think to defeat me by yourself, non?" Sol asked in amusement and Elfman's eyes tightened as he brought his right arm up. "With the use of only your right arm, no less?" He asked before he shook his head and shrugged. "It seems the rumors were true after all, non." He said with a grin as he tilted to the right and Elfman looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Oh yes, I know all about you." Sol said then paused as he straightened then tilted to the left. "Well, to be more precise... I have information pertaining to all Fairy Tail mages." He said as he adjusted his glasses.

"Peh." Elfman said, unimpressed, before he charged forward. "Is all you can do is talk? !" He demanded as he sent a powerful punch at Sol.

Sol launched up from the ground to easily dodge the punch and spun in the air while Elfman started to look up at him in surprise. "Sable Dansent!" Sol said and a tornado of sand swirled up around Elfman, nearly pulling him from the ground as he struggled against it. As Elfman tried to squint through the sand a foot suddenly connected his jaw and sent him flying back across the room.

Elfman spun around in the air to land on his feet and looked around rapidly, but Sol had disappeared from sight. "What?" He said in confusion before he was suddenly knocked up from an uppercut as Sol came up from the ground then started to rapidly wrap himself around Elfman's arm and pulled him down to slam him into the ground with jarring force.

Sol disappeared back underground while Elfman lay there in a daze for a few seconds then came back out ten feet away from him. "Two years you went on a mission with your sisters, correct?" He asked and Elfman's eyes widened in shock. "You utilized a Full-Body Takeover, but you were too weak to control the power you had stolen." He said with an evil smirk and Elfman's jaw tightened as he slowly stood up. "Poor little Lisanna." Sol said in mock sorrow and Elfman froze before he exploded forward.

"YOU BASTARD!" Elfman roared and Sol's eyes shone with malicious pleasure before he disappeared back into the ground the instant Elfman had been about to punch him.

"Non, non, non, is this still a sore subject for you, murderer?" Sol's voice echoed throughout the room and Elfman froze again as he looked at the ground.

"Elf-nii." A familiar voice said and his eyes widened in shock as he looked up to see a young woman with short white hair standing in front of him. "Why did you kill me, Elf-nii?" She asked and Elfman took a step back as tears started to form in his eyes.

"Lisanna, I- GAAAAAAHH!" Elfman started to say when a large pillar of stone slammed into his side, forcing him all the way across the room and crashing him into another stone pillar that shot out from the opposite side.

"Non, non, non, is that you have, non?" Sol asked as he came up from the ground while the stone pillars moved back to let Elfman collapse to the ground as his arm changed back to normal. "This is the power of the Element Four." He said coldly as Elfman slowly started to struggle to stand.

**_Natsu_**

Natsu charged through a hallway before stopping when he reached an intersection and looked at each direction before he sniffed the air and grinned. _There's someone this way!_ He thought with a feral grin as he went to the left. _Heh, when Link and Erza catch up I'm gonna surprise them by showing them I beat Jose. _Natsu thought confidently as he ran.

"NATSU!" He heard Happy yell and looked over his shoulder before he looked forward again, intent on winning alone to show his strength.

During his run, Natsu saw he was approaching another room and grinned in anticipation. _This is where the scent is coming from. _Natsu thought right before a large wind picked up, making him stop warily.

"So sad..." A voice that he had heard during Fairy Tail's assault on Phantom Lord said and he looked around with narrowed eyes. "When the wings of flame rot and fall away..." The voice continued before Aria suddenly appeared in the middle of a small whirlwind; his body tilted forward so his green tophat was pointed towards Natsu while his green robe flapped around in the wind.. "All that doth remain..." He said before he straightened to show Natsu the white blindfold over his eyes as tears streamed down his face. "Is the corpse of a fallen dragon." He said and Natsu looked at him in confusion from his words.

"I am Aria of the Heavens... pinnacle of the Element Four." Aria introduced and Natsu's eyes gleamed. "I have come to slay the dragon." He said as a strong wind started to swirl around him.

Flames erupted around Natsu's hands as he dropped into a ready stance. "Wind magic... I already know how to deal with you bastards." He said before he charged forward with a roar at Aria, who stood motionless with his left palm up and pointed towards Natsu.

**_Fairy Tail Guild_**

"Kemuri Kujiku!" Wakaba said and several fists of smoke shot out from his pipe to slam into two different phantoms then had to pause to catch his breath as sweat dripped from his forehead. "Sheesh... I didn't know I was this out of shape." He muttered before he glanced back in alarm when he noticed a phantom right on top of him.

A bullet suddenly went through its side, dispelling it, and Wakaba looked over to give a nod appreciation to Alzack, who just looked at him with a wide grin before turning to rapidly shoot other phantoms. "YEEHAW!" Alzack yelled in excitement as he shot phantom after phantom. When he ran out of ammo he quickly reloaded with several swift motions that took him only a couple of seconds when four phantoms that had been coming up behind him were taken out with a barrage of machine gun fire. "Thanks, Bisca!" Alzack said as he jumped over to stand back to back with her.

"This is one hell of a shooting gallery, isn't it?" Bisca asked with a grin and Alzack answered with a laugh. "Care to see who can take out more starting now?" She asked as she glanced back at him and Alzack glanced back at her with a grin of his own as he brought his right gun up.

"You're on." He said then brought both guns at chest level as he looked forward as Bisca quickly reloaded her machine guns.

"Guns Magic: Sunlight Shot!" Alzack said as he fired all the rounds in his magnums in seconds at a large cluster of the phantoms while Bisca sent a barrage of bullets at another cluster.

"YEEEEHHHHAAAWWW!" They both yelled in delight as the cluster that Alzack had shot at were vaporized in a bright flare of light while the ones Bisca shot at fell before her wall of bullets.

Everywhere else, members of Fairy Tail were fighting against the self-restoring phantoms with almost every type of magic one could imagine, which ranged from explosively powerful to small and precise. Amongst that throng, Lucy held her own to fight side by side with her Guild, her whip lashing out rapidly.

"Lucy, you need to get to safety!" Mirajane said when she was able to reach her, and Lucy looked at her incredulously.

"No, I can't abandon you guys!" Lucy said fervently before a flash of purple fire destroyed a phantom that had been closing in on her.

"Lucy, get out of here now!" Macao ordered as he thrust his right hand out. "Murasaki no Mou!" He yelled and strings of purple fire shot out from his fingers to wrap around a phantom each then squeezed them with enough force to cause them to disperse. "You're their target, so we need to get you to safety." He said but she shook her head defiantly.

"GIHIHIHIHI!" A roaring laughter stopped any further arguments and everyone looked up in surprise to see a man with spiky black hair and several metal studs on his face and arms looking down at them with his arms crossed and an evil smirk on his face.

"Kurogane Gajeel!" Cana said in surprise and Gajeel's smirk widened an inch.

"I've come to repay you for the damage to my Guild." Gajeel said before he jumped up into the air. "I hate to leave a job unfinished, after all!" He yelled as he brought he tucked his arms into his sides then thrust both arms down. "TETSURYU NO KISHIN!" He roared and dozens of of ten foot long iron poles shot down and into the Fairy Tail Guild House.

"NO!" Cana screamed in denial as the Guild House started to crumble under the barrage and several Fairy Tail mages were taken down by the phantoms as they watched with horrified expressions as their Guild House was demolished.

"YOU BASTARD!" Bisca screamed as she Ex-Exuipped her machine guns and Requipped a sniper rifle then took aim at Gajeel. "Lock On." She said as a square started to form around Gajeel's head in her scope while Alzack kept the phantoms at bay. "Homing Shot!" Bisca yelled and the end of her sniper rifle glowed before a small blast of green energy shot out at Gajeel.

Gajeel, caught up in the destruction he was causing, didn't even know what him as the shot caught him in the side of the head and caused him to spin head over heels towards the ground, cancelling his spell. He quickly righted himself then turned to glare at Bisca as a small stream of blood leaked down from his wound. "Take this!" He yelled as he thrust his left hand out and sent a barrage of knives at Bisca.

Bisca, surprised that her attack had taken him out, didn't move out of the way in time and took the full brunt of the attack. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Bisca screamed in agony as the knives tore into her and Alzack froze before he looked back with a horrified expression as he saw Bisca, covered in blood, start to drop to the ground.

"BISCA!" Alzack yelled in panic as he grabbed her and quickly moved her to a different spot to set her down. "BISCA!" He yelled again before he was forced to shoot an incoming phantom.

Gajeel let out a smirk before he spun in the air rapidly as he approached the ground. "Tetsuryukon!" He yelled before he landed and his legs transformed into steel clubs that caused a shockwave that sent anyone near him flying back in a cloud of dust.

"Now that I've repaid you pieces of trash, I guess I'll go ahead and take Master Jose's prize." Gajeel said with a smirk as they started to stand and Lucy looked up in near panic as he approached her, the phantoms moving to keep anyone from getting close to him. When he was only five feet away, he suddenly turned as his arm turned into a steel club to block a bullet and looked at Alzack in irritation as he stood there motionless in front of Bisca.

Alzack's eyes gleamed with rage as he crossed his guns over his chest while his poncho blew in the wind. "You'll pay for that." Alzack said coldly and Gajeel smirked as he turned to face Alzack fully.

"Come on and try, trash." Gajeel said as he cracked his fingers, his eyes gleaming in anticipation.

* * *

Wota Sureisu - Water Slicer

Wota Jigusa - Water Jigsaw

Tetsugyu - Iron Bull

Sable Dansent - Sand Dance

Kemuri Kujiku - Smoke Crusher

Murasaki no Mou - Purple Net

Kurogane - Black Steel

Tetsuryu no Kishin - Irong Dragon's Demon Logs

Tetsuryukon - Iron Dragon's Club

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	21. Cracked Steel, Broken Wind

Chapter Nineteen

Alzack and Gajeel continued to stare each other down, Alzack glaring angrily and Gajeel smiling sadistically, when Alzack exploded into motion as he brought his revolvers to bear and started to fire at Gajeel.

Gajeel quickly jumped out of the way of the barrage, his smirk still in place, then quickly charged forward to close the distance between them. "GIHIHIHIHI!" He roared in laughter as he barely avoided shot after shot before wincing when one of the bullets clipped his right leg. Gajeel dismissed the pain when he saw how close his opponent was and quickly lashed out with a kick. "Tetsuryuken!" He roared as his leg transformed into a blade that sliced at Alzack.

Alzack didn't even bat an eye as he quickly jumped up over the kick and adjusted his aim to keep his revolvers on Gajeel. "Guns Magic: Tornado Shot!" Alzack yelled as he fired his right revolver to send a miniature tornado out at Gajeel from point blank range; which slammed into Gajeel and sent him flying back while spinning rapidly.

Gajeel had only been flying for a few seconds before he transformed his arms into swords while changing his leg back to normal and sliced through the tornado. He landed on his feet and slid for a few more feet then looked to the side as another Fairy Tail mage came in to attack him. Right as he was about to retaliate a bullet flew between the two, making the Fairy Tail mage freeze in shock.

"Nobody interferes!" Alzack yelled angrily as he finished reloading then charged towards Gajeel with his revolvers pointed downwards at his side. "This bastard is mine after what he did to Bisca!" He yelled and Gajeel quickly returned his focus to Alzack then smirked as his arms changed back to normal.

"You think trash like you can beat me?" Gajeel asked as he rushed forward to meet him. "GIHIHIHIHI!" He laughed condescendingly as he prepared to dodge anything Alzack shot at him. To everyone' surprise, for no one could completely ignore what was going on despite their own difficulties, Alzack continued to run in melee range; where Gajeel would clearly have an overwhelming advantage against the gunslinger.

Gajeel quickly lashed out with a barrage of punches but Alzack didn't stop running to engage. Instead he did a large jump to the right and turned in midair to point his right revolver at Gajeel's feet. "Guns Magic: Burst Shot!" Alzack said as he shot his gun but Gajeel was already jumped into air to avoid the shot, and not a second too late; for the instant the bullet hit the ground a moderate explosion erupted, sending Gajeel further up into the air.

Gajeel looked over at Alzack quickly and his eyes widened slightly to see Alzack's left revolver already tracking his trajectory. "Guns Magic: Blast Bullet." Alzack said coldly and six blue blasts came out in rapid succession to slam into Gajeel, once more sending him flying back from the rapid impacts. Gajeel gleamed brightly with a metallic sheen as he spun in the air to regain his balance and Alzack looked at Gajeel in shock to see him unharmed.

"Huh, looks like you're tougher than I thought." Gajeel said as he brought one hand up and cracked his fingers, his entire body now covered in metallic scales. "To think I'd have to use my Tetsoryu no Uroko." He said then gave an evil grin. "I might have some fun after all." Gajeel said before exploding forward.

Alzack quickly shook off his surprise and brought his right revolver to bear. "Guns Magic: Blast Bullet!" He yelled as he pulled the trigger and five blue blasts shot out in rapid succession to slam into the incoming Gajeel.

"GIHIHIHIHI!" Gajeel laughed loudly as the blasts deflected off his scales, barely slowing him down as he rushed in to deliver a devastating combination of punches and kicks that broke most of Alzack's ribs before he was sent flying back to land in a heap and rolled from the impact.

"ALZACK!" Macao yelled when he saw Alzack slam into the ground then finally stop._ Damnit! _Macao thought as sweat dripped from his forehead when Cana suddenly destroyed four phantoms with four tarot cards and ran up to kneel beside Alzack.

"Alzack, are you ok-?" Cana started to ask before freezing when she saw him start to slowly reload one of his revolvers, the other reholstered on his left hip.

"Can... barely... breathe..." Alzack gasped out, the pain from his broken ribcage preventing him from drawing breath properly. "But...I'm... not... done..." He said through gritted teeth as he closed the mag-wheel of his gun.

"Alzack, you can't-"

"He'll... pay..." Alzack swore as his eyes gleamed with determination before he coughed up blood while he started to get up.

"So, you still want some more, trash?" Gajeel asked with a smirk on his face as Alzack slowly stood up. "No more time play though, need to get Master's prize back to him!" He said as he charged towards Alzack, who suddenly charged forward to meet him; surprising everyone with his resilience. "TAKE THIS!" Gajeel roared as they closed in while he reared his right fist back. "TETSURYOU NO -!"

"GUNS MAGIC!" Alzack suddenly roared as he dropped down to slide on his back to avoid Gajeel's punch and his revolver started to glow faintly. "BIG BANG SHOT!" He roared as he pulled the trigger and the barrel, only a few inches away from Gajeel's stomach, fired a blast more suitable to a cannon then a gun that slammed into Gajeel with an explosion that consumed the two of them and any phantoms within a twenty foot radius.

The two of them came flying out from each side with smoke coming from their bodies.

Alzack was covered in severe burns and already unconscious, the pain having immediately overwhelmed him, while Gajeel's scales had long cracks from the force of the explosion.

Everyone was frozen in shock at Alzack's attack for several long seconds when Gajeel suddenly started to move and opened his eyes. "That little... shit..." Gajeel said weakly as he slowly pushed himself up to his knees. _What kind of idiot gambles their life like that? _He thought in surprise before he looked up to see a blade mage bearing down on him with two short swords in his hands.

"Stay down you bastard!" He yelled as he swung down viciously with both swords.

Gajeel quickly caught his forearms with a glare when he suddenly gave a cocky smirk. "Just what I needed." He said before surging upward to headbutt the mage and tear the swords from his grasp in the same movement. "Food." He said then carefully yet quickly ate the two swords. As he consumed the swords his scales quickly repaired themselves before everyone's disbelieving eyes. "Now then..." He said before dashing towards Lucy. "TIME TO LEAVE, TRASH!" Gajeel yelled as he closed in on the terrified Lucy when Macao appeared in front of her, his eyes narrowed into a glare. "What's this, more trash to take out?" Gajeel asked with a laugh and Macao's face tightened further.

"Murasaki no..." Macao said slowly as dark purple flames appeared around his body then suddenly brought both hands up quickly over his head then thrust them out. "BIMU!" He roared as a blast of purple flames shot out at the incoming Gajeel.

Gajeel skidded to a stop as the flames came in at him and crossed his arms in front of him just as the blast slammed into him, sending him skidding back several feet before he was able to stand firm. "Heh, this isn't so bad." He said with a smirk, which Macao returned with a humorless smirk of his own.

"How about this?" Macao asked before he had the flames spin around and grab both of Gajeel's wrists then quickly trapped his arms behind his back, making Gajeel look down in surprise. "Murasaki no Jaketto." He said at the end of the movement and Gajeel was now wearing what appeared to be a straight jacket made entirely of purple flames that had one thin stream connecting it to Macao's hands.

"Wh-what the-?" Gajeel asked in surprise as he looked down at the fire jacket.

"How well are you able to swim with all that metal on you?" Macao asked and Gajeel looked up at him quickly before Macao started to spin him around several times then threw him at the lake. The instant he let go, Macao immediately dropped to his right knee as he put his hand to his torso. _Shit! _Macao thought as his torso screamed in pain from where he had taken a triple elemental blast during the failed assault on Phantom Lord.

Gajeel looked down at the lake then smirked as the metal scales disappeared. _Idiot, the water will take care of your flames; then I'll be right back. _He thought confidently then waited calmly as he dropped down to the water. He closed his eyes reflexively as he hit then flexed his arms against the the purple flames. His eyes shot open again in surprise when the flames continued to hold strong. _What? ! _Gajeel wondered in shock as he continued to sink.

Back on shore and a minute later, Lucy was in the process helping Macao to his feet when suddenly the water where Gajeel had landed exploded upward. As everyone looked over in shock, Gajeel appeared from the geyser and landed lightly on the ground, his eyes burning with rage. His glare quickly settled on Macao and he started to slowly walk towards the exhausted fire mage.

Lucy looked between the two then quickly let go of Macao and ran towards Gajeel as a surprised Macao dropped down to his rear. "Wait!" Lucy yelled desperately as she ran up in front of him then spread her arms out to block his path. "I'll go with you, just stop this!" She pleaded and Gajeel paused to look down at her before backhanding her out of his way. "KYAAA!" Lucy screamed in pain as she went flying to the side.

"Like I care about you right now." Gajeel said coldly as he walked up to Macao while his metal scales returned, the phantoms grouping together to keep anyone from helping him. "Got anymore tricks, old man?" Gajeel asked as he stood before Macao, who was looking up with exhaustion written all over his face. "Peh, I thought so." He said in disgust then picked him up by his throat, cutting off his air. "Any last words, then?" Gajeel asked as he extended his other arm out then changed into a chain sword.

Macao grabbed at Gajeel's hand as he made gurgling noises, to which Gajeel slightly relaxed his grip to hear what he might say. "Over the... lips... and through the... gums..." Macao said then suddenly put both hands over Gajeel's mouth, taking him by surprise. "Look out stomach, here it comes!" He yelled and a second later a blast of purple fire was sent directly down Gajeel's mouth, who reflexively threw Macao as hard as he could as his arm turned back to normal so both hands could grab his throat.

Macao landed with a grunt and rolled a couple of feet before finally coming to a stop, panting heavily. _That's it... that's the last of my magical power... _He thought weakly then struggled so that he could look and see the results of his final attack. Gajeel was currently on both knees holding his throat with both hands as smoke plumed out of his mouth, his entire body trembling. _I hate having to do this kid... but you brought it- what? ! _Macaro started to think before his eyes widened when Gajeel suddenly started coughing wildly, spitting out blood and...

"No way..." Cana said in shock as Gajeel coughed out small chunks of superheated metal. "He actually... blocked Macao's last attack..." She said then blinked as realization came to her. "EVERYONE!" She screamed loudly then pointed at the badly wounded Gajeel. "WHILE HE'S WOUNDED, WE CAN TAKE HIM DOWN!" She ordered as she prepared her tarot cards.

Loke was the first one to start charging when he suddenly swooned then dropped, his magical power all but spent from the prolonged fight. Elsewhere, others were facing the same exhaustion as the phantoms not only replicated but seemed to become stronger each time they reappeared.

Gajeel, though arrogant and cocky, was no fool and quickly realized how bad of a position he was in. Quickly gathering his strength, he sprinted towards Lucy and quickly grabbed her then continued onwards towards the lake.

"STOP HIM!" Cana screamed even as she threw two tarot cards at his back, being careful with her aim so as not to hit Lucy. The instant before he was going to be hit, Gajeel suddenly disappeared into thin air; letting the tarot fly by where he had been just a second before. "Damnit..." Cana said as she dropped to her knees. "DAMNIT!" She screamed in frustration before she was forced to hold back a trio of phantoms that flew in; which didn't even care about the frustration and heartbreak that she was experiencing.

**_Phantom Lord Castle_**

Gajeel appeared in a room with the magical technicians and immediately dropped Lucy as he slumped to his knees. "Metal," He demanded weakly even as he noticed a pile of scrap metal laying on the floor in front of him. Gajeel wasted no time tearing into pile and was quickly restored to near full strength. "That bastard..." Gajeel said angrily then glared at the technicians, who were already far away in case he felt the need to lash out. "Tch," He muttered in annoyance then looked down at the struggling Lucy and picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

"Let me go!" Lucy demanded but all Gajeel did was slam her into a wall, stunning her, then put her back on his shoulder.

"Shut up." He said darkly, his happy mood at destroying Fairy Tail's Guild House destroyed by that humiliating near defeat.

**_Natsu_**

"Gah!" Natsu yelled in pain as he was sent flying back before he nimbly flipped in the air to land on his feet with a grunt. "Shit..." Natsu panted out in disbelief as he stared at an untouched Aria; which contrasted sharply with the damage plainly visible on Natsu's body.

"It seem I have underestimated your endurance." Aria said calmly as he "looked" at Natsu. "I must admit, you are quite something." He said and Natsu's face tightened into a grimace before he charged in at Aria.

"DAMNIT!" Natsu roared in frustration as he summoned fire around his right fist.

"However..." Aria said as he watched Natsu run in before suddenly thrusting his left palm forward to create a wall of wind that slammed into Natsu. "Before my Uro, there is nothing you can do." He said as Natsu was once again sent flying backward as Happy came flying in. "Zetsu." He said and a barrage of purple blasts slammed into Natsu, sending him further back.

"AAAHHH!" Natsu screamed in pain as the attacks hammered him before he spun in the air to land then skid across the ground.

"Natsu!" Happy yelled in panic when he saw the state his friend was in then looked back down the hall he had come from where he heard armored footsteps coming.

"Hmm... impressive." Aria said impassively. "You still refuse to go down." He commented in a clinical tone.

Natsu said nothing for several seconds before his right hand tightened into a fist. "I can't just let you beat me... I'm a mage of Fairy Tail... " Natsu panted out then ground his teeth together. "YOU'RE JUST PISSING ME OFF, YOU BASTARD!" He roared before he took a deep breath. "KARYUU NO HOUKO!" He roared as a blast of fire shot out from his mouth at Aria. Right before the blast was about to hit, Aria became transparent then disappeared as the flames consumed him. "Huh?" Natsu said in surprise when he what happened and immediately stopped his attack even as the initial burst destroyed a portion of the wall behind Aria. "Where did he go?" Natsu wondered out loud as he urgently looked around for his opponent.

"It is over... Salamander." Aria's voice suddenly echoed around him, making him tense up slightly in anticipation. "You are about to experience the same pain as Makarov..." He said and Natsu's eyes widened as Aria suddenly appeared behind him with his hands up at shoulder level and his palms pointing down. "Uro... Metsu." Aria said and the air around Natsu glowed with a golden light. "Now all your magic shall be reduced to nothingness!" He declared as the spell fully activated.

"GUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Natsu screamed in agony as his magic started to be forcefully ripped from his body when two boots, one leather and other other armored, slammed into Aria's face and sent him flying back; allowing Natsu to slump, though he still refused to fall.

Aria, taken by surprise by the sudden attack, was still able to flip in the air to land on his feet even as Link and Erza landed lightly in front of Natsu, their backs to him. "Ooohhh..." Aria said woozily as he wobbled slightly from the impact while he regained his balance.

"H...hey... what do you-"

"He's the one... that did that to Master..." Erza said coldly as her right hand clenched into his fist and Natsu, who at first had shown indignation, immediately froze when he felt the focused rage coming off of Erza and Link.

"How very sad..." Aria said as he felt the glares from Link and Erza hit him, though he didn't seem fazed in the slightest. "Not only Salamander, but Maharathi and Titania are to die by my hands..." He said as he impassively faced them.

"The one who dared to touch Master-" "-was this man, right?" Link started to say and Erza finished with no pause in the dialogue.

"Erza... Link..." Natsu said quietly in surprise before he noted something unusual; the two of them were actually breathing at the exact same time.

"Hahahaha..." Aria laughed lightly as his hands up to remove his blindfold. "If I am to fight both Erza the Titania and Maharathi Link, I have no choice to go all out." He said as he took the blindfold off to look at them with arrogant pink eyes that had a white X that sperated the irises. "Come at me and die." Aria said with a sadistic smile as he positioned his hands to form a large, broken circle before him, and immediately the air in the room swirled and and darkened. "I have activated Zero... the magic that consumes all life." He said and both Link's and Erza's eyes tightened before they closed.

"Magic that-" "-consumes life?" Erza was the one who started to ask the question this time and Link finished before they both tensed up.

**"****How can you steal lives so easily? !" **They both yelled angrily, their voices meshing together, as their eyes snapped open and Link unsheathed the Gilded Sword with his left hand at the exact same time Erza extended her right hand to Equp a one-handed sword. **"Prepare to pay for your sins, you bastard!" **They both declared and Link charged forward, starting from his right foot, as Erza charged forward, starting from her left.

"Let us have some fun!" Aria said and the air surged with a powerful windstorm as Aria released his spell into the incoming mages. "Can you two hope to survive this?" He asked arrogantly as Natsu struggled to hold his ground even as he held Happy protectively to prevent him from getting caught up in the spell.

"ERZA! LINK!" Natsu yelled in panic, not knowing if they could survive Aria's most powerful spell when he couldn't even hold a candle to him. What happened next made his eyes, as well as Aria's, go wide in shock.

Right before the two of them were about to run into Aria's spell, Link's pivoted on his right foot at the exact instant Erza pivoted on her left while the two interlocked their free arms together. The result was a beautiful but deadly dance that created a barrier of steel as they easily sliced their way through the airspace with perfectly timed and aimed attacks that always protected the other.

"Wha-what the?" Aria barely had time to ask before he, and Natsu, had to flinch as a red aura exploded from and surrounded the two a few seconds before they slammed into and passed Aria. The end result was a cyclone that all but destroyed the room they were in and sent Aria flying up through several floors. "GUUUAAAHHHH!" Aria yelled in pain, unable to withstand the sheer power of the attack.

The two of them released the magic and easily came to a stop, both of them standing in the exact same they had been before they had gone into their jaw-dropping dance. They held the pose for the few seconds Aria needed to come crashing down to the ground in a heap, barely conscious, their breath coming smooth and easy.

"Im...impossi...ble..." Aria gasped out as he looked at them in wide-eyed denial.

"Master would never lose-" "-to the likes of you." Link then Erza said as they both tilted their heads to give him one last glare as Aria lost consciousness.

**"That tale shall never appear in your saga." **They both said at the same time with undeniable finality, the last words Aria heard before his world went black.

* * *

Tetsuryuken - Iron Dragon's Sword

Testoryu no Uroko - Iron Dragon's Scales

Murasaki no Bimu - Purple Beam

Murasako no Jaketto - Purple Jacket

Uro - Void

Zetsu - Eradication

Metsu - Annihalation

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	22. The Beast

Chapter Twenty

Link sheathed the Gilded Sword in one smooth movement while Erza Ex-Equipped her sword as Natsu and Happy continued to look at them in wide-eyed shock. "You idiot." Link suddenly said as he glared back at Natsu, making him take a step back in surprise.

"Link." Erza said as she put a hand on his shoulder, which made him pause for a brief moment before he stepped towards Natsu; the movement breaking the contact.

"Can you only think of yourself even in a situation like this?" Link demanded as his body trembled in barely controlled anger, his blue eyes burning into Natsu's. "'I'll show everyone my strength by defeating Jose all by myself!', was that your foolhardy notion?" He demanded and the surprise in Natsu's eyes told him he had guessed correctly. "Perhaps you should add, 'And by doing so get myself killed for no reason.'" Link said as he shook his head in disgust.

"I can beat him!" Natsu said stubbornly but Link just shook his head. "I'll show you how strong I am and- !"

"Why?" Link asked and Natsu paused mid-rant. "Have you never thought about why you want to become stronger?" He asked and Natsu's eyes narrowed as his right hand clenched into a fist.

"To protect my nakama!" Natsu stated and after a few seconds Link reached into his pouch then pulled his hand out. Whatever he had pulled out was small enough to remain hidden in his hand.

"How are you protect them if you get yourself killed?" Link asked and Natsu once again paused as his eyes widened a tad. "With your strength comes the responsibility to protect others, which means you sometimes need to _think_!" He said, emphasizing the last word, before he paused and winced as he put his left hand to his chest as his two wounds from fighting Uma suddenly throbbed.

"Link, you need to remain calm so we can stay focused on fighting Jose." Erza said firmly and, after a few seconds, Link took a calming breath then nodded his head.

"Natsu, your part in my plan is not to fight Jose." Link said once he had dismissed his unwarranted anger and held his hand out towards Natsu. "Part of it is selfish on my part, but I cannot help and be curious." He said as Natsu looked down at his hand and blinked in surprise. "Which is stronger, a dragon of fire or of steel?" Link asked with a small grin and after a few seconds Natsu smirked as he grabbed what was in Link's hand and pocketed it.

"Isn't it obvious?" Natsu asked as his eyes burned with determination. "As Igneel's son, there's no way I can lose to another Dragon Slayer." He said and all four of them turned to face the doorway Aria had been guarding.

**_Jose and Gajeel  
_**

Jose gave a small sigh as he stood in the middle of the room with Gajeel to the right and behind him. "Only Sol is still fighting... did I really misjudge the strength of my Guild so bad?" Jose wondered out loud before glancing at Gajeel, who cracked his neck and smirked.

"All this will just make our victory that much better in the end, Master." Gajeel said and Jose smirked in response before the double doors in front of him opened up to let Link, Erza, Happy, and Natsu walk in. All four of them immediately froze in shock, not at seeing Jose and Gajeel in the same room, but who was with them.

"LUCY!" Happy yelled in surprise and Lucy, who was currently covered in bruises and held up by tendrils of dark magic, slowly raised her head up.

"You guys..." Lucy said weakly before flinching as the tendrils tightened their grasp on her.

"LET HER GO!" Natsu roared as he took a step forward, both hands tightening into fists.

"After the trouble I went through to get her?" Gajeel asked with an evil smirk then chuckled. "However, I suppose only one of you can appreciate how much damage you have to deal to demolish a Guild House..." He said as he shook his head and all four froze as their eyes widened while Lucy's closed as her head sunk down again. "Go ahead, trash, tell them." Gajeel said and Lucy's body trembled before she swallowed.

"He... he completely destroyed Fairy Tail..." Lucy said as tears came to her eyes and fell to the ground. "And..." She said before she shook her head to ward off the images of all her nakama that had been hurt. "Macao and... Alzack... almost... had hi-"

"Gajeel." Jose said coolly, stopping Gajeel right before he had been about to strike Lucy for mentioning that. "The truth of the matter is this, young fools." He continued on once Gajeel had put his hand back down. "You cannot hope to win, you do not even have a Guild anymore." Jose said then made a shooing motion with his right hand as he looked to the side. "If you run along now, I am even willing to forget you lot even existed." He said dismissively but had to pause when he heard the sound of two swords clearing their sheathes and the roar of flames coming to life. When he looked back at them, he saw that Erza had Equipped her Black Wing Armor while Link held his Master Sword and Gilded Sword in each hand and both of Natsu's fists were surrounded in flames.

"You believe that the building you destroyed is Fairy Tail?" Link asked coolly as all three glared at Jose and Gajeel, and his words made Lucy freeze. "With that kind of belief, no wonder Phantom Lord's mages are of such low quality." He said as he pointed the Gilded Sword at them and now it was time for Jose and Gajeel to fix them with a glare.

"You shall pay for that, brat." Jose said coldly and the air in the room became heavy with the full might of his magical power.

**_Elfman and Sol  
_**

"KAH!" Elfman coughed out blood as he was slammed into another wall and three shackles of stone latched his wrists and legs in place, keeping him trapped.

"Non non... this is truly pathetic, non." Sol said as he looked at the heavily injured Elfman while he panted heavily. "Your persistence would be somewhat applaudable, if it actually granted you something." He continued as he adjusted his monocle while he walked up Elfman before stopping in front of him. "Perhaps if you weren't so pathetic, not only would you be able to challenge me... but..." Sol said before trailing off as an evil smile came to him. "Your poor little sister would still be alive." He said and Elfman's eyes snapped as he tried to lunge at Sol.

"YOU BASTA- AAAR!" Elfman started to roar before he was cut off as Sol punching him in the solar plexus, immediately knocking the air out of him.

"Such arrogance... perhaps some punishment is in order, non?" Sol asked the unresponsive Elfman. "Merci la Vie." He said with an evil grin as he unleashed his cruelest spell.

The instant Sol's spell activated, Elfman's entire body locked up while Sol removed his fist and took a step back to show the area he had punched turned to stone. The stone didn't stop however, and continued to slowly spread across Elfman's body. If Elfman had looked down, no doubt he would have been horrified at what was to be his fate and try to break free. However, his gaze, filled with horror and despair, was locked upward at something only he could see.

"Merci la Vie is such an efficient spell." Sol said as he looked up and played with his mustache while he enjoyed the expression on Elfman's face. "It forces you to relive your worst memory again and again while slowly entombing you for all eternity." He said before his cruel smile resurfaced. "Never killing you... never letting you escape your guilt." He said with an evil chuckle.

**_Elfman's Mindscape_**

Elfman looked around as he suddenly found himself surrounded by complete darkness. "W-what?" He said out loud in confusion.

_"Ooii! Lisanna!"_ He suddenly heard his voice call out and his eyes widened in surprise as he looked around to suddenly find himself standing in the middle of a park close to sunset. _"We've got another job!"_ Elfman heard his voice again and he looked around before he froze in shock at the scene in front of him.

Elfman saw himself, dressed in black formal pants and jacket with the collar up, standing with Mirajane, dressed in dark purple shorts, a black halter top, and long black boots with a red ribbon in her hair, Natsu, Happy, and...

"Lisanna..." Elfman breathed out in shock, unable to believe his eyes, as he looked at his dead sister.

_"Another one already?" Lisanna, dressed in a short red dress with a pink blouse underneath, complained and Elfman grinned triumphantly._

_"We're helping Nee-chan with an S-Rank this time." He said in reply and Natsu's eyes bulged in surprise and envy._

_"No way!" Natsu yelled before he took a step forward. "How come you're going on an S-Rank before me? !" He demanded but Elfman just held his grin._

_"Well... if you really want to come, I suppose you could." Mirajane suddenly said with a small grin and Elfman's grin disappeared as quickly as Natsu's appeared._

_"Nee-chan, no way!" Elfman complained as he looked down at her, his arms coming up defensively. "A man should be able to protect his own family without any help!" He said and Mirajane paused before she sighed and put her right hand on her hip._

_"Come on, don't be so stingy!" Natsu said as he stomped his foot on the ground and pumped his arms up and down in frustration. "Take me with you!" He demanded but Elfman remained_ _adamant._

"NO!" Elfman yelled as he ran towards them. "DON'T GO! WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GO!" He yelled desperately even as the scene began to get further away from him and the dark emptiness replaced the distance. "AT THE VERY LEAST, TAKE NATSU WITH YOU!" He pleaded right before the scene disappeared.

Sparks suddenly flew across his vision and past him, making him stop and turn around to view a village in the mountains burning to the ground.

_"Elfman!" _

He heard Mirajane call out and he turned around to see a monster that stood at least two stories tall slowly walk into view, The Beast.

"No..." Elfman said as he took in its red fur that covered its green skin except for the head, neck, pectorals, and abs; as well as the horns on its shoulders and head, which was crowned with white hair and beard, razor sharp teeth, and taloned hands and feet. "Is that... me?" He asked as The Beast let out a low growl as its glowing eyes locked onto something.

_"Elfman, pull yourself together!" Mirajane yelled while The Beast stalked in closer to her._

_"Mira-nee!" A rainbow-colored bird suddenly called out as it flew into view then landed next to the injured Mirajane. "I was able to evacuate the town... but what happened?" The bird asked as it turned into Lisanna and looked at The Beast warily._

_"I was too careless..." Mirajana said as she looked up it. "Elfman tried to protect me, and attempted Take Over on The Beast." She said and Lisanna looked back at her in surprise. "But its magical power was too great... Elfman's lost all reason!" She exclaimed as The Beast stopped a dozen feet in front of them._

_"You mean..." Lisanna reasoned out as she looked back at The Beast as it tensed its legs. "But, what'll happen to Elf-niichan?" She asked and Mirajana grit her teeth in frustration._

_"If he doesn't come to his senses soon, he'll be taken instead." Mirajane said and for a couple seconds that seemed like eternity, Lisanna stood up and started to walk towards it. "Lisanna!" Mirajane said in surprise._

_"Elf-niichan, what's wrong?" Lisanna asked calmly as she stopped just a few feet in front of the The Beast, completely in its threatening shadow. "It's Lisanna, your little sister." She said and The Beast made a small sound of confusion. "What's the matter, did you forget Mira-nee, too?" She asked with a small laugh in her tone and The Beast cocked its head curiously to the right as it looked down at her with its eyes. "There's no way you'd forget us, right Elf-niichan?" Lisanna asked and it cocked its head to the left as it studied her. "Because we both love you very much."_

Elfman's entire body started to tremble as he watched the exchange while The Beast's glowing eyes narrowed as it gave a low growl. "Lisanna... no..."

_"So let's go back together." Lisanna said as she held her arms out wide as if to embrace it._

"IT'S NO USE, RUN!" Elfman roared as he charged forward to try and get her out of harm's way. It was too late however, as The Beast gave a roar of its own and brought one large arm up to strike.

_"Elf-niichan." Lisanna said with a bright smile right before she was sent flying from a strike delivered by The Beast._

_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mirajane screamed, her eyes wide in horror, as Lisanna flew brokenly through the air._

"No... no..." Elfman said numbly as he fell to his knees while tears came to his eyes. The images weren't done with him, however, and he found himself looking upon Mirajane as she knelt next to a battered Lisanna.

_"Mira-nee... I can't feel anything..." Lisanna said weakly._

Elfman closed his eyes and tried to cover his ears from the damning words.

_"Mira-nee... where are you?" Lisanna asked weakly._

_"Right here." Mirajana said as she grabbed Lisanna's hand in a firm grip._

_"Mira-nee... I... can't..." Lisanna said weakly before her voice trailed off as her breathing grew weaker.  
_

_**Elfman and Sol**_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Elfman roared as tears poured from his unseeing eyes, his body covered over halfway in stone, and his pain-filled scream made Sol chuckle before he turned around.

"I suppose I've toyed enough with you, it's time to turn my attention to the others." Sol said before a sudden surge of magical power pulsed from Elfman, making him freeze before he turned around in shock.

**_Elfman's Mindscape_**

Elfman knelt with his body folded over so that his forehead touched the ground while his arms were folded over his stomach; tears pouring from his closed eyes.

"Elf-nii." He suddenly heard and he convulsed as if struck. "Elf-nii, what's wrong?" Lisanna's voice asked.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Elfman mumbled weakly over and over.

"Elf-nii, you need to get up." Lisanna said but Elfman shook his head fiercely. "Elf-niichan, if you don't get up soon you're going to die!" She said more insistently but Elfman merely offered a twitch of his shoulders in a weak shrug.

"It's my fault you died... it's what I deserve..." Elfman mumbled then froze as he felt two slim hands rest on his shoulders.

"Elf-niichan, you can't die right now." Lisanna said soothingly and, after a few seconds, Elfman gulped then dared to open his eyes so he could look up. There, before his eyes, was his dead little sister looking at him with her calm, radiant smile and honest, kind eyes.

"But..."

"Elf-nii, you have to live." Lisanna said as she continued to smile at his tortured face before she brought her hands to his face and rested her forehead against his. "If you don't..." She said before her smile died and her eyes grew more serious. "Mira-nee... she..." She said and immediately Elfman's eyes started to clear.

"Nee-chan?" Elfman asked uncertainly before he slowly brought his hands up to grab her arms. "What about Nee-chan?" He asked with more strength in his voice and Lisanna paused before she swallowed. "That's right..." Elfman said as he started to remember. "Phantom Lord... they're attacking... Nee-chan's in trouble..." He said and Lisanna nodded her head before bringing her right hand out and motioning to the side. Her action made him follow her arm and, before his eyes, he saw images of the destroyed Fairy Tail Guild House and several mages collapsed in various locations while Mirajane watched in horror. "No." He said weakly as his whole body started to tremble.

"Isn't a man supposed to protect his family?" Lisanna asked and Elfman immediately froze. "Fairy Tail is part of our family, isn't it?" She asked and Elfman slowly started to look back at her. "Please don't let me be the reason you fail, Elf-niichan... you know I don't blame you for what happened, right?" Lisanna asked sadly and tears came to Elfman's eyes as he saw the love in her eyes.

"Lisanna..." Elfman said before he slowly closed his eyes. "What if I can't...?" He asked and Lisanna's answer was to pull him into a hug.

"Before you weren't ready, Elf-nii." Lisanna said before a low growl filled the area. "But now..." Lisanna said as Elfman looked up and past her to see The Beast standing behind her, its glowing eyes locked onto him. "Now it's time to embrace The Beast and use its power to protect your family." She said before disappearing into glittering light. "Good-bye... Elf-nii..."

For several, long seconds Elfman and The Beast locked eyes before Elfman started to stand. "Thank you... Lisanna..." Elfman said then took a step towards The Beast. "Come on, it's time you made up for what you did!" He yelled before jumping up to grab The Beast.

**_Elfman and Sol_**

_What's going on? ! _Sol thought in shock as Elfman's scream of pain changed to one of rage and determination. "He can't be!" He suddenly realized as Elfman suddenly grew size by several inches.

"RAAAAAAA**AAAAAGGGHHHHHHH**!" Elfman roar became more savage and the pressure of his roar made Sol shield his face as he was forced by a few inches from the sheer intensity of it. When Sol was able to look again, his eyes went wide in shock.

"It's impossible, he's not supposed to be able to accomplish it!" Sol yelled in denial as he found himself not looking at Elfman, but at The Beast. "How were you able to pull off a Full Body Takeover? !" He demanded in a mixture of terror and fear as The Beast's glowing eyes fixed on him.

The Beast exploded forward with enough speed to catch Sol completely off guard and bat him all the way across the room with a quick backhand. The impact made Sol cough up blood, but he quickly recovered to land on his feet and look at The Beast in awe.

Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he grit his teeth as he glared at it. "How dare you think that such a weak creature can stand up to me!" Sol yelled angrily as he put both hands on the ground. "Take this! Platre Sonata!" He yelled a huge fist, the entire thing nearly as large as The Beast, shot out from the floor under him directly at it.

The Beast looked at the incoming fist and, at the last second, brought both taloned hands up to grab it. The impact sent it sliding back several feet and its eyes closed with the effort before it suddenly let out a roar and clenched its hands, which caused the entire thing to shatter and blanket the room with dust.

"No..." Sol said as the terror came back to his eyes as The Beast's glowing eyes once more fixed on him. "That was... my strongest... AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sol screamed as The Beast suddenly lunged for him again.

**_Gray_**

Gray slowly ran/limped through the halls of Phantom Lord's castle, hoping to catch up to his nakama that had run ahead as he dealt with Juvia.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" A sudden scream of pain made him freeze in place. **"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!" **The following demonic roar did little to encourage him to go forward, but he knew he didn't have a choice if he wanted to be able to help his friends.

After a few minutes, he came up to a large double-door that had a rhythmic thumping sound on the other end. _The hell? _Gray wondered as he cracked opened the door to see what was inside. The side of a large, red-furred monster punching the floor again and again as a continuous growl came from it.

Even as his eyes went wide, The Beast suddenly stopped and quickly turned towards him, its nostrils flaring as it took in his scent. "Shit!" Gray said, for in his weakened state he honestly didn't know if he stood a chance against this thing.

**"Grrray." **The Beast suddenly growled out and he immediately froze in surprise.

"How do... wait..." Gray said as he took in the scar over The Beast's right eye. "Elfman?" He asked in surprise before he looked down to see a crater that held the broken body of Sol. "Who... what..."

**"No time." **Elfman/Beast growled out before jumping towards Gray to land a few feet in front of him and quickly grabbed him before he could react. **"Let's go." **He growled out before turning around to charge where he had seen Link, Erza, Natsu, and Happy run out of; putting Gray on his back so he could smash through at full speed.

* * *

Just going to put this out now, Lisanna is not making a bull- miraculous return in this story. Main reason being, I found way too many flaws with how it happened and am too lazy to come up with one of my own.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	23. Blowing Away the Darkness

Chapter Twenty One

Link and Erza jumped away from each other to avoid a barrage of small dark orbs and ignored the explosions behind them as they both immediately launched at Jose.

Jose quickly shifted his right hand towards Erza to fire another barrage of dark orbs, which made her jump away a second before she would have reached him, then narrowly avoided Link's slash and grabbed his forearm just below the Golden Gauntlets to throw him away. To his surprise though, Link not only resisted his magically enhanced strength but even turned the tables by twisting and throwing him into a wall with bone-crunching force.

Erza and Link were both on him in an instant, ready to stab into him to try and finish the fight while he was stunned.

"RAAAAGGGHHH!" Jose roared as his eyes snapped open and a wave of dark magic exploded out to destroy the wall behind him and slam into Link and Erza, sending them flying back from the impact. Jose was now glaring angrily at the two of them when another crunching sound was heard as in the room behind them Gajeel sent Natsu flying through another wall and further away.

"GIHIHIHIHI!" Gajeel, covered in his Testuryu no Uroku, laughed as he jumped through the hole after Natsu. "Tetsuryu no Gou!" He yelled as he punched down at the kneeling Natsu.

"Karyuu no Tekken!" Natsu roared in retort as he surged upward to meet Gajeel's metallic punch with a flame-empowered punch of his own, which cracked the ground under them and sent out a shockwave that made Lucy, who had been freed from Jose's tendrils not too long ago, shield herself with her arms.

The two of them locked stares as they attempted to overpower each other, neither giving ground for several long seconds, when Natsu suddenly had a flash of his fight against Link when he had attempted to overpower him with his Karyuu no Kenkaku.

Natsu offered a feral grin that surprised Gajeel then suddenly let Gajeel overpower him, using the force of Gajeel's punch to go into a spin that he used to jump to a wall. Natsu stuck to the wall for a couple of seconds as Gajeel rolled on the ground to come up to his feet before he turned around to look at Natsu, who by now was nothing more than a fiery streak in the air.

"KARYU NO KENKAKU!" Natsu roared as he slammed into Gajeel's midsection, and the impact forced him to slide back despite the enhanced defense his scales provided him. Natsu, his head a little woozy from the impact, let Gajeel get some distance from him before exploding forward to slam his right fiery fist into his sternum. "KARYUU NO SAIGA" He roared as he flung Gajeel up into the ceiling, whose eyes had widened in surprise from the double attack he had received.

Gajeel, rather than stay surprised and anchored up in the ceiling, quickly exploded down towards Natsu, spinning in the air once to deliver a quick axe quick. "TETSURYUKON!" Gajeel roared as Natsu brought his arms up block the kick and his leg turned into a large iron club that smashed through Natsu's guard and slammed him into the ground.

"Gah!" Natsu yelled in pain from the impact before coughing up blood as Gajeel nimbly spun in the air after his attack to stomp onto his stomach.

"Just like that old man with the purple flames, you shouldn't get too cocky, trash!" Gajeel snarled as he pulled Natsu up by the back of his neck and slammed his face into the ground before flinging him into a wall.

Natsu quickly broke free to glare at Gajeel dangerously, his breathing heavy. "What did... you say?" Natsu asked as he looked at Gajeel, who merely smirked at him condescendingly. "WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MACAO? !" Natsu roared angrily as his hands clenched into fists.

"Macao... so that's the name of that piece of trash." Gajeel said before he waved his hand back and forth dismissively.

"Macao almost had you beat despite his injuries, don't you dare call him trash!" Lucy screamed angrily and Gajeel's brow furrowed as he looked back at her with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "His flames were strong enough to hold you even underwater, and Alzack's last attack also had you nearly beaten before you ate that metal!" She screamed and a low growl escaped Gajeel as Natsu's eyes glinted with renewed determination.

The sound of Natsu taking a deep breath made Gajeel look back and his smirk came back as he also took a deep breath, which made Lucy's and Happy's eyes widen in surprise.

"Karyu no -"

"Tetsuryu no -"

"He-he couldn't also have-" Lucy started to stammer out before the two fired off their spells.

"HOUKO!" They both roared and a blast of fire from Natsu slammed into a metal shrapnel vortex from Gajeel.

The two attacks dissipated after only a few seconds, but it quickly became clear that Natsu had come out of it the worst as his skin was now covered in small cuts from the metal shrapnel that had managed to get through his breath attack and slice into him.

"Gihi." Gajeel chuckled in amusement as he looked at Natsu's badly damaged body. "It looks like we know which kind of dragon is stronger." He said and Natsu's eyes gleamed before a feral grin came to him.

"Is that so?" Natsu asked and Gajeel just sighed at his refusal to see the obvious.

"Look at you, your body is all cut up from by Tetsuryu no Houko, while I didn't take any dama-" Gajeel started to say before freezing as a quarter of his scales suddenly cracked, making his eyes widen in shock.

"A Fire Dragon's flames can destroy anything..." Natsu said as his grin turned into a smirk. "Even another dragon's scales." He said and Gajeel's shock quickly turned to outrage as he quickly dashed forward to deliver a barrage of punches and kicks before he could react, and Lucy's eyes went wide in concern as she recognized the combo that had all but put Alzack out of commission. "Ka...ryu... no..." Natsu slowly got out, fighting through the agonizing pain of Gajeel's merciless assault with nothing but pure grit, then slammed his forehead into Gajeel's as flames erupted around his head. "ZUTSUKI!" He roared even as his eyes crossed from the impact, though it had the effect of stopping Gajeel mid-punch and made him stagger back as the scales on his forehead cracked under the power of the blow.

Were Natsu's body up to it, he could've pressed his sudden advantage and possibly gotten more attacks in on the momentarily stunned Gajeel. Sadly, his body needed at least a couple of seconds to recover from the assault and the headbutt, which gave Gajeel the time he needed to shake of his disorientation and come in with his right fist cocked back. "Tetsuryu no Gou!" Gajeel roared as he slammed his fist into Natsu's face and sent him flying back into the same wall. Before Natsu could recover, Gajeel thrust his right arm out and transformed it into a large spearhead. "Tetsuryuso: Kishin!" Gajeel yelled and a barrage of large spearheads shot out at Natsu, slamming him into and demolishing the wall behind him to propel him out into the open air on the other side of the wall.

"NATSU!" Lucy screamed right before Happy sprouted his wings to fly after Natsu.

Gajeel quickly put an end to that as he retransformed his right arm into a long pole that he swung up to slam Happy back towards Lucy, who barely caught him before he would have slammed into the ground. "Have a fun swim, Salamander! GIHIHIHIHI!" Gajeel roared with laughter.

_Shit. _Natsu thought as he flew away from the Phantom Lord castle, one eye barely open and his body screaming in protest from the damage it had taken so soon after fighting Aria. _Damnit, if I fail now... ! _Natsu thought as his momentum made him spin, allowing to see for the first time the ruins of the Fairy Tail Guild House. New determination flowed through Natsu's body and his thoughts shifted from what would happen if he failed to how to succeed.

Macao's face suddenly flashed through his mind and he recalled a conversation he had had with him when he was still just a boy.

**_Six Years Ago_**

_"Hey, someone said you can use your fire to actually grab things." A young Natsu said bluntly as he stood in front of Macao, who was sitting at a table and getting ready to drink some beer from a flagon._

_Macao immediately paused and looked down at Natsu curiously before his eyes cleared. "Ah, the young Dragon Slayer." He said then turned on his bench to give Natsu his full attention. "As a matter of fact, I can." He said with a smile and Natsu crossed his arms and looked at him doubtfully._

_"But that's impossible, how can you use fire to grab something?" Natsu asked and Macao blinked before bursting into loud laughter._

_"You claim to be raised by a dragon, yet you call something like this impossible?" Macao laughed and Natsu's eyes narrowed before he turned around in a huff and started to walk away."Wait!" Macao said quickly as he stopped laughing and after a few more steps Natsu paused before he turned around angrily. _

_"I was-!" Natsu started to yell before freezing when he saw a stream of dark purple fire coming out from Macao's finger tip and holding up the flagon of beer over his head by its handle as if it weighed nothing. To his further surprise, he didn't see any sign of the glass heating up, nor did Macao seem the least bit worried as the flagon hung over his head. "How did you do that?" Natsu asked excitedly as he ran back up to Macao, who offered a small chuckle at Natsu's exuberance._

_"It's just a matter of changing the fire's property." Macao said and Natsu blinked then looked up at him in confusion. "When you can change its property, you can use fire for anything." He said before bringing the flagon to his hand. "You can even make it so it won't lose to water or wind." He said with a confident smile, but poor Natsu still showed no sign of comprehension._

_**Present Day**_

Natsu blinked as he looked down at his left hand then recalled the situation he, as well as all of Fairy Tail, was in and something in his mind clicked. _That's it! _Natsu thought before he thrust his left hand out with a roar to send a stream of flame that ended in a taloned hand out towards the Phantom Lord castle.

Gajeel, who had by this point turned to start walking towards Lucy, barely avoided the taloned hand and tracked its progress to see it slam into the wall on the far side then sink in and actually hold it. _Wha- !_

"KARYU NO...! !" He heard Natsu's roar behind and looked just in time to see Natsu being reeled in by the stream of fire extending from his left while his right hand was cocked back, the flames on that one flaring wildly and ready to explode outward. "TEKKEN!" Natsu roared as he released the fire from his left hand and delivered a powerful right hook that staggered Gajeel and recracked his scales. Natsu wasn't done however, as he followed through with his punch and put both hands on the floor to go into a wild spin as flames from his legs. "KARYU NO KAGITSUME!" He roared as he did a continuous rotating kick that had Gajeel spinning in the air. "KARYU NO..." Natsu continued as he came up from his spin while Gajeel went flying back, though he was already struggling to reclaim his balance. "KOTOKEN!" He roared as he punched out with his right hand to send out a huge fist shaped fist to slam into Gajeel, sending him through the wall and into another room before he could finally struggle against the attack. Natsu's attack lasted barely two seconds before he dropped to one knee with a gasp, his exhaustion catching up to him.

For several seconds, only the sound of Natsu's heavy breathing and the crashing from Link and Erza's fight could be heard as smoke covered the hold that had been created by Natsu's attack. Suddenly, Gajeel burst through the smoke to land not too far away from the hole, steam rising up from his heavily damaged, scaled body; and he glared at Natsu before going to one knee to tear at the metal floor and quickly began to chow down to recover his energy.

"No..." Lucy thought in horror as she held an unconscious Happy, for she knew that it wouldn't be long before Gajeel would be back up to full strength.

"Heh." Natsu suddenly exclaimed in amusement, and the sound made both Lucy and Gajeel look at him in surprise. "I was... waiting for this moment..." Natsu said as he reached into his right pocket.

Gajeel finished his meal and his scales quickly reformed as he recovered from the damage he had just taken while Natsu slowly pushed himself up to his feet. "If you wanted me to pound you while I was at full strength, you could've just stayed down and accepted it." Gajeel said with a smirk as he watched Natsu struggle before he cracked his neck. "Ah well, it's about time to-" The sound of something shattering as Natsu clenched his right hand cut Gajeel off, but what truly caught Gajeel by surprise was the sudden surge of white flames that raced up Natu's arm.

Natsu wasted no time in devouring the fire with a look of absolute delight on his face. "Ahhh... Link always has the best tasting fire." Natsu said as he wiped his mouth while all the damage disappeared from his body. "You're right about something, bastard." Natsu asked Gajeel with a feral smirk that quickly quickly disappeared as he glared at him. "It's time to finish THIS!" Natsu roared the last word as white flames erupted from his body with such force that they actually made Lucy slide back a few inches.

Gajeel looked at Natsu with wide, uncertain eyes for several seconds before it quickly changed to a snarl. "DON'T GET COCKY, YOU PIECE OF TRASH!" Gajeel roared as he charged at Natsu and cocked one fist back. "TETSURYU NO GOU! !" He roared as he punched at Natsu.

Natsu brought his left hand up and caught the fist open-palmed, though the force made him slide back several inches before he held firm. Gajeel's eyes widened once again in shock at what Natsu did before a new level of shock registered when he saw a scale-like pattern appear underneath Natsu's eyes. "Wha... what the hell?" Gajeel said out loud in surprise before he winced as Natsu's grip tightened, making the scales around his hand crack.

"You're gonna pay for what you and all of Phantom Lord has done." Natsu swore before casually tossing Gajeel high into the air then crouched down as the white flames continued to swirl from and around him. "GUREN: KARYUKEN!" Natsu yelled before launching up, the force from his legs leaving a small crater behind on the steel floor, to deliver of fiery punches that hammered into Gajeel. "GRAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!" Natsu roared as his assault continued on Gajeel, whose scales began to shatter against the power of the continuous barrage. "This is for Levy, Jet, Droy, the old man, Alzack, and Macao!" Natsu roared, giving a name for each five explosive punches given, before he finally let up in order grab Gajeel by the throat to throw him into then through the steel floor. "And this!" Natsu yelled as he exploded down after him. "THIS IS FOR MAKING LUCY CRY!" He roared before giving one final explosive punch that destroyed that section of the castle as Lucy's eyes widened in surprise at his words.

It took Lucy half a minute to recover before she quickly ran forward to look down the sudden drop, fear for Natsu reflected in her eyes. "NATSU!" She screamed as she tried to find some trace of him through the debris cloud and was rewarded with a small coughing sound.

The cloud quickly dissipated to show Natsu lying on his back four levels down with no sign of Gajeel. Natsu looked up at Lucy and the now stirring Happy after a few seconds of heavy breathing. "Whoops." Natsu said then offered a large grin. "Looks like I overdid it a bit." He said and for several seconds Lucy couldn't find anything to say before a laugh escaped from her as tears formed in her eyes.

"You idiot." Lucy said loudly enough for him to hear, and he blinked as he looked up at her in concern. "This is just normal for you, Salamander Natsu." She said with another laugh as she wiped at her tears.

"Aye!" Happy said with a laugh, now fully awake, and Natsu let out a laugh of his own as his smile came back.

_But still... _Lucy thought as she looked down at Natsu in wonder. _You looked pretty cool at that moment. _She thought before a large shockwave sent her careening forward over the edge, though Happy quickly sprouted his wings to catch her.

**_Erza, Link, and Jose_**

Jose's eyes, now black with red irises, shone with dark fury from the near hit of the Megaton Hammer, wielded by Erza. His eyes didn't waver as he sent a blast of dark magic into Link's midsection that blasted him away, and an instant later a large dark tentacle came from underneath Erza to wrap around her; effectively trapping her.

_Damnit! _Link and Erza both thought, for they both knew the only weapon that would easily slice through the tentacle fast enough to let them both escape was the Master Sword.

Before, Link had been careful to surround the Gilded Sword with light magic to cut through the tendril that held Lucy. But this tentacle was for more concentrated and only the Master Sword could cut through dark magic this thick as if it were nothing; a fact that Link had been careful to keep hidden from Jose throughout the entire fight until the right moment.

Now though, it appeared Link would have to show his hand, something that could very well destroy the plan that Link had quickly put together. _But Erza will not suffer because I let my anger control me. _Link determined fiercely as he nimbly landed and prepared to charge forward.

Link was cut off, however, as a large form suddenly smashed through the ceiling above Jose and came down on him; The Beast. **"RRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW!"** Beast/Elfman roared as he cocked one huge fist back to slam down on Jose.

Jose's eyes registered shock even as he reflexively thrust both hands forward. "Deddo Vevu!" Jose yelled and a large wave of ghosts shot out to slam into Beast/Elfman's stomach, the force of the blast actually reversing his momentum and sending him flying back past Erza, who was now free after taking advantage of Jose's distraction. Jose wasn't safe yet though, as Gray was soon seen kicking off from Beast/Elfman's shoulder to launch at Jose with his hands set to utilize his Ice Magic.

"Ice Make: Cold Excalibur!" Gray roared as he flew in at Jose, who quickly moved to dodge Gray's downward swing with the immense broadsword he had created; as the Cold Excalibur cut the ground, a large wave of ice came up and nearly caught Jose.

Jose retaliated with by placing his palm on Gray's side and hit him with a quick blast of dark magic that had him flying towards the large doorway that Link and Erza had originally walked through. "ENOUGH!" Jose roared in irritation as he pointed a palm towards Gray and Erza, with the now changed back Elfman behind her.

As Jose charged his attack, Link dashed towards Gray while Ex-Equipping his Gilded Sword and throwing the Master Sword at Erza, who Ex-Equipped the Megaton Hammer and her sword that went with the Black Wing Armor.

Link stopped in front of Gray just as Jose fired his blasts then Equipped his Iron Boots as he glanced over his shoulder the Mirror Shield still on his back while Erza caught the Master Sword, ignoring the full-body tingle and feel of something probing her very soul that always accompanied grabbing the sword, and brought it back in preparation to slash.

"YOU FOOLS, YOU CANNOT STAND AGAINST MY FULL POWER!" Jose roared, but Link and Erza showed no signs of concern. If anything, the gleam in their eyes said they had been waiting for a moment like this.

Link caught his blast directly with the Mirror Shield and held firm long enough to send the blast right back at Jose while Erza slashed upward, catching and redirecting the blast back to its source with more power than it originally had. Jose had no more than an instant to realize the trap before he was blasted from two sides with his own magic. "AAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" Jose screamed as he felt his full power used against him, his mind still having trouble accepting that this must have been what they had been hoping for this entire time.

Link and Erza, knowing that even this would not be enough to do more than damage Jose, quickly jumped towards each other at the same time as they Ex-Equipped Sword and Shield. In less than a second the two were side by side, Link's right hand coming up to take Erza's left, and they both stopped to pivot and look directly at Jose as he started to recover.

**"Farore, Goddess of Courage." **They both chanted together as Elfman and Gray weakly looked up from their prone position. **"Master of Nature and all creation. Grant to us now thine divine wind." **They both said and a green aura surrounded both of them as they brought their free arms up and crossed them over their chests. **"TO BLOW AWAY THE AGENTS OF DESTRUCTION!" **They both yelled and thrust their free hands forward and the green aura abruptly disappeared from them only to appear as a circle under Jose, who was looking at them now in understanding and fear. **"UNISON RAID! FARORE'S ARASHI NO KAMIHA!" **They both roared and the green circle underneath Jose erupted upward in a green cyclone filled with swords, daggers, and axes surrounded by an aura of light.

"GRAAAAGGGHHH!" Jose roared as he was sucked upward through the cyclone while dozens of cuts appeared over his body.

Gray's and Elfman's eyes were wide with shock as they watched Link and Erza's combined attack continue to decimate Jose. "N-no way..." Gray said in awe as the wind from the attack blew his hair in random directions.

"A true Unison Raid..." Elfman said before the attack expended its energy, causing the cyclone to disappear and all the weapons disappeared as well as they were Ex-Equipped.

Both Link and Erza continued to hold their pose as Jose slammed back into the ground in a bloody mess, unconscious and no longer able to fight.

For several seconds there was no movement except for their breathing when Erza tipped forward as her eyes fluttered, her body no longer able to support her weight after the expenditure of magic the Unison Raid had required so soon after blocking the Jupiter Cannon. Link quickly caught her and tried to hold her steady, but had to hug her closely as he also was forced down to one knee.

"How do your... plans keep working?" Erza asked as she opened one eye to look at him, but all he could do was offer a shrug and a small smile.

"My nakama, mostly." Link offered in explanation and Erza offered a small sigh that ended in a quiet chuckle an instant before Aria smashed through the wall behind them, both hands raised up in preparation for his spell.

"Too easy, Fairy Tail!" Aria exclaimed as everyone looked at him in slow motion, shock written on all their faces. "Now prepare to lose all your- urk!" Aria suddenly froze mid-rant as a powerful presence suddenly filled the room, a presence that both surprised and brought smiles to the Fairy Tail mages.

"I would recommend accepting your loss right now." Makarov said from behind Aria as he suddenly appeared there, his face showing nothing but barely restrained violence. "Take Jose, and tell him when he wakes up to never so much as look at Fairy Tail again." Makarov ordered and for several seconds Aria didn't move, trying to fight against Makarov's presence in order to fight back. "UNLESS YOU WISH ME TO DELIVER TO YOU THE PAIN MY CHILDREN HAVE EXPERIENCED? !" Makarov roared as his body suddenly grew fifteen feet in height with large, powerful looking muscles that made his clothing strain at the seams and Aria, knowing without any doubt that further fighting was useless, slowly sunk to his knees in surrender.

"Hey Ji-chan." Natsu said as he walked in, supported heavily by Lucy, with Happy flying beside him. "We took care of things for you while you recovered." He said and Makarov looked at them all before he sighed.

"Damn brats." Makarov said before he walked around to pick them all up, enlarging himself again to be able to comfortably carry them all. "Can't you do anything without destroying everything in sight?" He asked and immediately everyone looked at Link, who had destroyed half the castle to which he quickly looked up from them with an innocent expression on his face.

**_Fairy Tail_**

Cana slowly sank to her knees, exhaustion written all over her face, finally able to take a moment to breathe now that all the Shades had disappeared. _Hopefully that means everyone succeeded... _She thought before she looked up upon hearing something large landing amongst them. Her eyes widened in joy and relief when she saw Makarov carefully putting everything down and quickly got back up to her feet, an action the rest of Fairy Tail was slowly taking as well.

"Elfman!" Mirajane said happily as she ran up to hug her younger brother, who gladly hugged her back despite his wince of pain from his injuries.

Once everyone was standing, some with help, some through their own stubbornness, Makarov slowly walked up to the remains of his Guild House with a blank expression on his face. "Hmmm..." He said as he looked back and forth at the damage before letting out a large sigh. "Quite the mess this is." Makarov said with a shake of his head.

"Master..." Lucy said as she slowly walked forward, her eyes lowered contritely. "I'm... I'm so sor-"

"But, it's nothing that can't be rebuilt." Makarov said as he looked back up at the rubble. "Luckily, no one lost their lives or was seriously hurt." He said and Lucy froze in shock. "Come now, you didn't think I was going to be angry with you about something like this, did you?" He asked then turned around to offer a comforting smile. "After all, Fairy Tail is still in one piece." Makarov said and Lucy looked at him in confusion before she recalled Link's words to Jose earlier.

_"You believe that the building you destroyed is Fairy Tail?" Link asked coolly as all three glared at Jose. "With that kind of belief, no wonder Phantom Lord's mages are of such low quality." He said as he pointed the Gilded Sword at them._

"A Guild is not just a building." Makarov said as he looked at her steadily. "A Guild is people with similar ideals coming together and sharing their hopes, their dreams." He said then looked over the rest of Fairy Tail. "It's a place where nakama can rejoice in each other's successes... and see them through their harshest trials." Makarov said as he looked back at her and Lucy slowly turned her head around to see everyone looking at her with kind smiles. After several long moments, Lucy looked back at Makarov with tears in her eyes; completely overwhelmed by everyone's understanding and love. "That is what a true Guild is." Makarov said and Lucy sniffed as she weakly nodded her head and attempted to hold back her tears. "That is what Fairy Tail is!" He exclaimed as he thrust his right hand up into the air, his hand enclosed in a fist except for his pointer finger and thumb, which were both out at full extension.

"OOOOHHHHH!" Everyone yelled as they mimicked Makarov's pose as best they could, and Lucy slowly put her hand up as well for several seconds before her tears overcame her and she collapsed to her knees.

**_Unknown Location_**

"I wish you had waited to give me your message after I had tended to my wounds." Uma said as she looked at the Shinobi before her, her body now covered in bandages.

"Do not blame them." An elderly woman's voice from behind her made her lock up in surprise before she quickly looked over her shoulder to see an elderly woman behind her standing in a formal kimono and looking at her with cool, grey eyes. "You are the one who wished to know my answer as soon as possible, correct?" She asked as all the Shinobi went to one knee and bowed their heads.

"Do not think to use my words against me." Uma said firmly as she turned to face the elderly woman. "Are you ready to depart?" She asked and the elderly woman nodded her head before walking forward only to disappear then reappear before Guild.

"I am intrigued by this offer, and at the strength of those you serve." The elderly woman said as Uma looked back at her calmly. "Let us go and see what this offer shall entail for Shinobi." She said and Uma nodded before breaking into a run.

_I failed in my task to kill Link... _Uma thought before she glanced behind her at the mages running behind her. _But at least I succeeded in one of my tasks. _She reasoned when suddenly the image of Link's intense face came to her, causing her cheeks to redden slightly. _Perhaps... it is not so bad I failed in my first task..._She thought as she kept her gaze forward to hide her blush.

* * *

Tetsuryu no Gou - Iron Dragon's Strong Fist

Karyu no Kenkaku - Fire Dragon's Sword Edge

Karyu no Saiga - Fire Dragon's Crushing Fang

Tetsuryukon - Iron Dragon's Club

Karyu no Houko - Fire Dragon's Roar

Tetsuryu no Houko - Iron Dragon's Roar

Karyu no Zutsuki - Fire Dragon's Headbutt

Karyu no Kagitsume - Fire Dragon's Talons

Karyu no Kotoken - Fire Dragon's Soaring Fist

Guren: Karyuken - Flame Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist

Deddo Vevu - Dead Wave

Farore's Arasho no Kamiha - Farore's Storm of the Divine Blades

* * *

Whew... well that was fun.

Next chapter will introduce Link's Guru, as well as a little bit about her country.


	24. A Claim Verified

Chapter Twenty Two

**_Fairy Tail_**

Lucy, Link, Gray, Elfman, Erza, Natsu, and Happy were all sitting at the somewhat destroyed bar across from Mirajane, who was looking at them curiously. "So that was really all part of Link's plan?" She asked and Link paused before he looked down and scratched the back of his head.

One week had passed since Phantom Lord's defeat, and this was the first time since then that they had been able to talk about what they had done. Not long after everyone had gathered back together and Makarov had given his speech, the Council's Enforcement and Investigation Squad, also known as the Rune Knights, had shown up and gathered everyone up for questioning. It had taken the entire week before the Rune Knights were satisfied they had enough information to report back to the Council about the events that had transpired.

"Not precisely." Erza explained when Link didn't look back up. "He lost control of his temper so used one of his Triforce Spells in retaliation of the Jupiter Canon and Jose's demand to turn over Lucy, which used up a good portion of his magic." She said and Lucy looked over at Erza curiously. "After that, I guessed what he would probably try to do since he was already in position to continue the attack then gathered Natsu, Gray, and Eflman." She finished before she noticed Lucy's expression. "What?"

"Triforce Spells?" Lucy asked curiously and Erza paused before she looked at Link, who had already brought his head up.

"They are some of my strongest spells, two each for Din, Farore, and Nayru." Link said and Lucy's eyes brightened in realization.

"So Din's Explosion is the fire magic equivalent to Farore's Hurricane?" Lucy asked and now it was Link's turn to blink in confusion, not knowing how she knew what that spell was. "You used that... oh... you probably don't remember." Lucy said hesitantly, not sure if it was a good idea to tell him when she saw him use it.

"You used it in your fight against Luxus while you were intoxicated." Erza finished for her and Link's eyes went wide for a few seconds before he sighed and covered his eyes with his left hand while Erza continued with her explanation. "When we arrived and cleared up the ones that had come to try and stop Link, I was able to see for myself that I had been mostly correct in predicting what Link had planned." She said before she indicated Gray and Elfman with her hand. "Gray and Elfman did their part perfectly, although Elfman's regaining his Bisuto Soru wasn't expected."

"A man comes through when he's needed." Elfman said as he slammed his right fist against his chest.

"Damn near gave me a heart attack when I saw him..." Gray muttered before he shook his head. "I take it Natsu messed something up again?" Gray asked and Natsu looked at him indignantly even as Erza nodded her head.

"At first, but luckily it was easily fixed and then he was able to fight the one he was supposed to." Erza said and Natsu grinned.

"And proved that a fire dragon is superior to an iron dragon." Natsu said triumphantly with a glance at Link, who looked back at him with a small grin of his own and nodded his head.

"I'm curious about something though." Lucy said and everyone looked at her questioningly while she looked at Natsu. "When Gajeel ate some steel to regain his strength, you broke something and white flames came out. Then you said something about Link's fire after consuming the flames." She said and Natsu paused as he thought back.

"Oh, Link just let me use some of his flames to help me recover from a previous fight." Natsu said with a shrug before smirking. "Despite the temptation, I didn't want to eat it right away till I forced Gajeel to eat first." He said but Lucy continued to look at him curiously. "What?" He asked and Gray gave a small sigh.

"Basically put, Lucy, Link stored some fire in a crystal then gave it to Natsu for him to use." Gray explained and Lucy's expression cleared. "I'm starting to think all his magic has a special connection to crystals at this point." He added ruefully, to which Link offered a small shrug.

"But I'm curious about something as well." Erza said as she looked at Link, who looked back at her. "Link, I noticed you had been seriously injured prior to showing up." She said and Link nodded his head while everyone looked at him in surprise. "What happened?" She asked and this time Link hesitated for a few second.

"The promised information was a trap, and I was attacked by Shinobi." Link said and while Erza's and Mirajane's eyes widened further, everyone else looked confused.

"Who's Shinobi?" Happy asked curiously while Erza made a sound of annoyance and looked down at the bar.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you go alone, you're lucky to still be alive." Erza said tersely and at that everyone's eyes went wide in shock.

"Who's Shinobi? !" Natsu demanded and Mirajane recovered enough from her surprise to give a small sigh.

"Shinobi is a Dark Guild that specializes completely on assassinations, specifically the assassination of powerful mages." Mirajane explained before she looked at Link then shook her head. "They became a Dark Guild over thirty years ago because of this, but occasionally they still get enough jobs to prevent them from resorting to stealing as other Dark Guilds have; so they aren't as talked about." She said and everyone looked at Link in surprise. "Honesty, Link, that you escaped with only those two slashes is-"

"These didn't come from Shinobi." Link said and he once again had Erza looking up at him as he became the center of attention. "I knew I would be outmatched if I stayed, so I put all my effort into escaping." He explained shortly before his eyes went distant. "These wounds came from someone else..." Link said then blinked as Erza put a hand on his shoulder.

"This person was sent by _her, _wasn't he?" Erza asked and Link paused before he nodded his head.

"In a way, _she_ was sent by Guru to test me." Link confirmed and corrected at the same time, which had everyone but Lucy looking Link in varying degrees of understanding.

"Guru?" Lucy asked and everyone looked at her in disbelief before Natsu slammed his palm to his forehead as he remembered.

"That's right, you weren't here to see her." Erza said as she quickly caught on. "Guru is the Avyacthian term for teacher. She's the one who taught Link to use Maharathi." She said and Lucy's eyes went wide.

_Guru... _Link thought as his mind went to his teacher. _I hope I made you proud by passing. _He thought and a small grin came to him as he tried to imagine how she would respond before a small frown replaced his grin. _Hopefully the Maharathi sent is able to make it back and won't be punished for failing to kill me. _He thought in concern for his attacker._  
_

**_Avyactha_**

In the middle of a large desert, a large mountain loomed high into the sky; a lone rock in an endless sea of sand. It was not a true mountain however, for it did not end in a peak at the top. Rather, it would be better to describe it as a stone wall that circled around to form a valley; almost like a giant shell to protect the valuable flesh of an oyster.

Just as with an oyster, if one were to get inside this shell they would find a beautiful pearl in the form of an alabaster city, Pandava; the capital of the country of Avyactha, which neighbored the Kingdom of Fiore to the east.

In the exact center of this beautiful city rose a large palace made of white marble and gold that housed the Maheshvar of Avyactha, his family, and the leaders of his army. In the largest inner chamber of the palace, Uma was currently on knee with her head bowed towards a large, dark-skinned man sitting on a throne of gold with a seat of flat stone. Three beautiful, middle-aged, dark-skinned women stood by his throne, two on the left side and one on the right, with a young, dark-skinned man standing several feet away on the right side.

"That is my report, Maheshvar Shiva." Uma said respectfully and Shiva nodded his head once before his gaze went to the elderly woman that was the Master of the Dark Guild Shinobi.

"Come forth, Noh." Shiva said in a deep, calm voice that echoed with restrained power and undeniable authority, and the elderly woman walked forward almost before she realized what she was doing to stand before him. "You have heard my offer from Maharathi Uma, is there anything you wish to ask of me before the matter is settled?" He asked as his blue eyes bore her into grey ones. Noh said nothing for a few seconds as she studied the man before her.

Shiva was tall, that much was apparent even when he was sitting, with shoulder length black hair and was dressed in a golden robe that was left open in the front and golden, flowing pants with a pair of sandals on his feet. Noh guessed his height at around six and a half feet tall when standing, and his bare chest showed large yet highly sculpted muscles that indicated regular use and continuous polishing as a fighter. His blue eyes shone with an intelligence and understanding that only the greatest of leaders could obtain after a lifetime of experience, an intelligence that seemed to peer into her soul and see through any falsehoods she might bring to bear. After only those few seconds, Noh came to realize that this man was one not to be crossed and then shifted her eyes to look at the others as well. All three women were similar in height, build, and appearance, standing a little above five and a half feet tall with bright red eyes and long, black hair that each had in a different style; and all had an undeniable resemblance to Uma.

The one on the far left kept her long hair unbound, while the one next to her had it in a pony tail similar in style to Uma, and the one on the right had her hair set in a long, intertwining braid. All three also wore the same garments as Uma in design, though their flowing pants and vest were silver in color. The main thing that set them apart, however, were the feelings shown in their eyes.

The eyes of the one on the right were almost as cool as Noh's, showing a calculating fighter that took in everything she saw and storing it for future use. The one on the left closer to the throne showed a glimmer of disappointment, as well as disbelief, that was aimed at Uma; who was currently doing her best to keep her eyes down and averted. The one on the far left showed a calculating fighter, but there was also quick glimmers of pride that Noh's experienced eyes almost missed before they disappeared.

The young man to the far side was almost six and a half feet tall with one blue eye and one red eye and short black hair, and was nearly as muscular as Shiva. He was clothed in sand-colored robes open in the front, flowing pants, and sandals. On the upper left side of his robes, over his heart, was stitched a chakram with dozens of small spikes and three layers of intricate runes in the center of the chakram in bright red thread.

After taking note of all those details in just a few seconds, Noh immediately knew that any disrespect could cost anyone, any ten, any dozens of people their lives in an instant. "I wish to clarify a couple of things, if that is alright." Noh said with a respectful bow and Shiva nodded his head in consent. "First, we are only expected to gather information for you and, if called upon, to utilize guerrilla tactics should Avyactha be attacked, correct?" She asked and Shiva nodded his head to confirm that. "Second, we are not expected to launch any preemptive assassinations unless we have fully scouted out the target and deem it safe to do so?" She continued and once again Shive confirmed.

Noh said nothing more for a minute as she carefully considered those points then refocused on Shiva once more. "One final thing. I wish to hear from your own mouth what Shinobi's payment for its services shall be." She said and a ghost of a smile came to Shiva's face before fading.

"First, you shall be allowed to create your own headquarters anywhere in Avyactha, once you have chosen a spot you shall inform me immediately of its exact location." Shiva said as he looked down at her. "Second, you shall be allowed, pending my approval, to utilize all the resources Avyactha has to complete any missions you are given. Over time, if Shinobi proves itself worthy, such permission will be automatically granted. Third, each member shall be paid one millions jewels a month, with special rewards for information deemed valuable." He said then paused and brought one hand up to stroke his chin thoughtfully. "Because of your prompt response, I shall tell you of the fourth offer as well." He said after a few seconds with a nod of his head. "You shall be allowed to recruit those you believe well suited for you Guild." Shiva said and Noh's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "But know this." He said sharply as his eyes snapped back to hers and his presence suddenly threatened to overwhelm her. "I know of your history, and your previous methods of recruitment shall not be tolerated." Shiva said and a bead of sweat appeared on Noh's brow as his eyes bored into her. Just as suddenly as it had happened, his presence suddenly returned to normal as he looked at her patiently for her answer.

Noh, shaken for the first time in decades, nonetheless quickly recovered and bowed her head. "In exchange for the payment offered, Shinobi is at your command." She said then stood tall again.

"Then all there is the matter of who shall be assigned to ensure your loyalty." Shiva said and once again Noh was taken by surprise, though this time it only showed in a quick flicker that was easily mastered. "Hmm..." He pondered thoughtfully for several seconds before his gaze went to the still kneeling Uma. "Maharathi Uma, rise." He said and Uma quickly came to her feet. "You succeeded in bringing Shinobi before me, but failed in the elimination of the one who wrongly carries the title of Maharathi." Shiva said and Uma's right hand twitched before she stilled it again. "As a means of congratulating you and giving you another chance to show your worth, you shall be in charge of Noh and Shinobi." He said and Uma's eyes went wide as she looked up at Shiva in surprise to see an evaluative look in his eyes.

Uma, sensing a test from his words, tone, and eyes, glanced at Noh to see her looking at her coolly. _She doesn't show it, but I know she already doesn't approve. _Uma thought, nor could she truly blame her. Noh was a tested leader with decades of experience, and now suddenly she was expected to have to take orders, not from another proven leader, but from someone years her age _and _experience. _Unless... _Uma thought as an idea came to her and her gaze went back to Shiva. "Maheshvar, I am to be in charge of Shinobi and will be allowed to do as I see fit that it stays loyal to you, correct?" Uma asked and Shiva nodded his head once in confirmation. "Noh, you shall remain overall in charge of Shinobi, and will help advise me on how to better utilize your mages for maximum efficiency." She said and though Noh offered no reaction to her words, a slight warming of her eyes showed her approval. "You shall let me know of Shinobi's needs for any missions so that I may inform Maheshvar Shiva and, in return, shall bring to you word of any changes that Shinobi need investigate or to have you prepare them for battle." Uma said and after a few seconds Noh nodded her head in acknowledgment.

"Noh, you may return to your mages and let them know what is expected." Shiva said and, with a bow, Noh immediately disappeared.

All of them waited for a couple of minutes in silence before the woman with the pony tail walked up to stand before Uma, who immediately lowered her eyes; unable to meet her gaze. "Welcome home, Uma." She said as gave enveloped her in a hug and Uma froze in surprise, which made the woman pause and then move back to put her at arm's length.

"A good way to throw your daughter off guard, Kali." The woman with the unbound hair said with some traces of amusement before she walked up to put a hand on Uma's shoulder in greeting. "I bet she expected you to yell at her for failing to kill my student." She said and Kali's eyes narrowed into a glare, a glare that was aimed at the other woman.

"I find myself surprised by your greeting as well." The woman with the braided hair said as she came up next to her sisters, and Kali gave an unlady-like snort. "Though I am more surprised that Uma was unable to kill that pretender that, at best, could only be called an Atirathi." She said as she looked at Uma curiously, who opened her mouth to answer before freezing as she suddenly found herself in Shiva's shadow.

"Perhaps we should sit down and allow Uma some space to breathe." Shiva said with a smile on his face, his blue eyes now showing his pleasure at the return of his daughter, and Uma happily returned his smile as the setting suddenly became informal with no official business to be conducted.

A couple of minutes later all of them, including the young man who had been by the wall, were sitting in a circle on the floor before the throne. "It's good to see you return safely, Uma." The young man said with a smile that Uma returned.

"It's good to be back, Lakshamana." Uma said before her smile faded as she looked down. "Though it pains me to return having failed in my primary task." She admitted before her eyes widened a fraction as she remembered something.

"Durga, he had a message he wished for me to pass on to you." Uma said and everyone but the one with the unbound hair's eyes widened to varying degree. "'Your foresight is truly terrifying.'" She said and Durga's eyes shone with amusement for a second before she sighed.

"Yes, I suppose my student would decide to send me a message like that." Durga said before she noticed the way her sisters and Shiva were looking at her. "What?" She asked and Kali leaned forward slightly towards her.

"She seems to be rather proud of her defiant student, doesn't she, Paravti?" Kali asked and Parvati nodded her head once as she studied Durga with cool eyes.

"Should I not be proud of my student when he has passed his Pariksana?" Durga asked and at once all movement stopped as everyone looked at her. Durga accepted their looks without response for several seconds before Shiva brought a hand to his chin with a speculative look in his eyes.

"Durga... what was meant by, "Your foresight is truly terrifying"?" Shiva asked and her expression immediately blanked. "You knew that should he start wearing that title before you said he was permitted to, a Maharathi would be sent to kill him for his transgression. Since your time didn't permit you to stay and witness his Pariksana, you instead gave him one that would ensure his skill was that of a Maharathi as well as having a credible witness to that skill." He stated firmly, which made the others' eyes widen slightly in surprise. "My only question now is why you argued a Maharathi to be sent out to fight him for so long." Shiva said but Durga said nothing for several long seconds before her eyes tightened.

"I don't kno-" *BOOM*

A loud knock cut Durga off before she could finish her reply and all eyes immediately went to the door. "MAHESHVAR!" A loud, deep voice boomed through the large doors not long after the knock then went silent.

Shiva shook his head then gave a long sigh as he smoothly stood up with just his legs, the others following suit. "That would be Indra." He said as he dusted off his robes and Kali gave a quick bark of laughter.

"And here I mistook it for an earthquake." Kali said before shooting a glare at Durga, but she was already moving to stand facing the throne.

"Father, Mother, Aunts." Lakshamana said with a deep bow that Uma reflected before they both turned to walk to the door. They both opened each side of the double door to look up at a dark-skinned man that stood even taller than Shiva.

"Atimaharathi Indra." Uma said with a quick bow that Lakshamana echoed and Indra looked down at the two of them impassively, though his golden eyes gleamed with an inner fire.

Indra stood close to seven and a half feet tall with muscles larger than Shiva's, though they too were honed to their finest fighting edge. His black hair was cut cut short and his robes and pants were of the same silver color as Durga, Kali, and Paravti; though he wore no sandals on his feet.

"Maharathi Uma, how did your task go?" Indra asked curiously in a deep voice that had a hint of a permanent growl in it and Uma hesitated for a couple of seconds.

"No need to hold her up, Indra." Another dark-skinned man said in a soft, passive voice as he came up beside Indra. "I'm sure we'll hear what happened from Maheshvar Shiva during the meeting." He said and both Uma and Lakshamana turned to offer him a bow as well.

"Atimaharathi Ravana." They both said and got a small nod from him in return before they both left.

Ravana was quite the contrast to Indra; standing a little under six feet with a thin, wiry build under his silver robes. His build was deceiving, however, for his muscles were just as hard; which gave him a strength surpassing what most would think him capable of. He kept his long black hair back in a twisting braid similar to Paravti, and his silver eyes looked as if they were always seeing something far away. "Please, continue on with your day." Ravana said and they nodded their heads before walking out the door and down the hall.

"Atimaharathis." Shiva said from his throne once they had all gathered in front of him.

"Did that insolent whelp die?" Indra asked bluntly and without preamble, which got him a sigh of exasperation from Kali for his lack of protocol.

"Maharathi Link is still alive." Shiva said coolly, which made Indra's and Ravana's eyes widen to different degrees. "He has also passed his Pariksana, which allows him to rightfully wear the title." He added and at that Indra's eyes narrowed even as they shone with outrage.

"WHAT? !" Indra roared in outrage at the news as he took a step forward. "THAT LITTLE WHELP IS BEING REWARDED FOR HIS TRANSGRESSION? !" He demanded as his hands tightened into huge fists.

"He was following the commands his of Guru, Indra." Durga stated calmly and Indra's glare immediately shifted to her. "My order put his life at risk and yet he followed it to the letter, how could that be a transgression?" She demanded, indifferent to Indra's rage, and a low growl issued from him.

"So you thought it better to lead not only your fellow Atimaharathis by the nose, but even your Maheshvar and husband as well?" Indra demanded then took a threatening step towards her. "And if it was all part of his Pariksana, why did you object to a Maharathi being sent for so long?" He demanded but Durga looked at him silently, giving no indication she was going to answer. "ANSWER ME!" He roared as he quickly tossed off his robe, fully revealing his massive upper body, and brought his right arm up to Equip a black sword as large as he was.

Durga quickly dropped into a ready stance as she Equipped two steel whips to her hands in order to fight back even as the other Atimaharathis jumped back to avoid being caught in the middle of the fight.

A sudden presence slammed into them and made them freeze as their eyes went wide in shock. "What... is this?" Shiva asked coldly as he slowly stood up and a bead of sweat formed on Indra's and Durga's forehead as they both turned to look at Shiva while he looked at them, his face frozen with fury. "Is this how my Atimaharathis act during a meeting?" He asked while Ravana, Kali, and Paravti stayed silent and motionless. "IS IT? !" He roared and the room itself shook at the force of his anger.

While Durga immediately Ex-Equipped her whips, Indra shook his head to clear his mind and turned to face Shiva. "Maheshvar, you expect me to take this quietly?" He demanded as forcefully as he could, his eyes regaining their gleam. "I have just found out that not only did Atimaharathi Durga _tell _that whelp to begin to carry that title; but she actually planned for one of our Maharathi's to go and fight him so that he could rightfully claim it!" Indra said defiantly, though he did Ex-Equip his greatsword as he argued. "Am I supposed to take that betrayal of all our trust as lightly as you seem to take it? !" He demanded before freezing as Shiva's presence suddenly disappeared as his face became troubled.

"Am I... perhaps taking this too lightly, after all?" Shiva wondered after a few seconds as he crossed his arms while he closed his eyes and looked down. "Could I be putting someone ahead of Ayactha's law... out of selfishness?" He couldn't help but think, for this was a burden he carried far too often in his decisions.

"MAHESHVAR!" Indra suddenly yelled out and Shiva's eyes snapped open to see Indra bowing to him on his knees. "Forgive me, I know you would not betray the laws you are sworn to uphold so easily!" He said as he closed his eyes in disbelief at his own words. "I... I was merely-"

"Doing what you do best, making me put things in perspective." Shiva said and Indra paused before he looked up at him to see his face once again calm. "Stand up, my friend, you should not apologize for saying your thoughts... this time." Shiva added at the end, which got a small laugh from everyone; and suddenly it was six old friends talking after an argument.

"Hmph, well no one else is brave enough to anger you." Indra muttered as he stood up and went to get his silver robe to find Durga already holding it out to him.

"Or stupid enough." Durga said with a small smile on her face and got a small snort of dismissal from him even as he grabbed his robe with a grin of his own. "But you're right... I do owe everyone an apology and an explanation for my actions." Durga said seriously as Indra smoothly put his robe back on.

"I am already aware none of you approved when you learned of my decision to teach a young foreign mage to utilize Maharathi, especially since I did not bring him back to continue his training within our borders." Durga said as she looked at Ravana, Kali, Paravti, Indra, and Shiva. "Despite what you all may think, I did indeed try to convince him to come back with me, but he wished to stay with his Guild in the end. Because of that, I needed to be able to give him a Pariksana that would test his abilities and would allow me to know that he would pass." She said and Paravti nodded her head.

"I see, the best way to do that would be doing something that would be bring about any Avyacthian's death, by claiming to be one of our strongest warriors without having earned it." Paravti said as the plan quickly made sense to her. "By besting or at least drawing even with a Maharathi, he would prove his ability and the Maharathi would have to return to tell of his or her failure, which in turn would ensure you would hear the news." She said and Durga nodded her head.

"That brings up my question before Indra showed up." Shiva said and everyone looked at him. "Why did you argue a Maharathi being sent out to fight him for so long?" He asked and Durga paused before she looked to the side with a blank expression on her face.

"I would rather not say." Durga said and everyone looked at her in surprise.

"Our Maheshvar... our husband asked you for a reason, Durga!" Kali, who recovered first from her surprise, said angrily and though Durga's face tightened she showed no inclination to answer, which only further angered her.

Shiva put up one hand to calm her then returned his attention to Durga. "Durga, I must have an answer." He said patiently and after a few seconds she looked back at him, her eyes still showing nothing of her thoughts.

"Is that an order?" Durga asked softly and Shiva's eyes widened a little in surprise and hurt, to which she looked away again uncomfortably.

"Does a husband need an order to know his wife's feelings?" Shiva replied just as softly and at that Durga closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"... I was... concerned about his survival." Durga finally answered, once again surprising everyone. "I was confident in his ability to prevail... yet I still wanted to give him more time to prepare." She said and Shiva looked at her in confusion when Kali suddenly stepped forward, anger no longer in her eyes.

"Sister... what is this young man to you?" Kali asked, something in her eyes saying she believed she already knew the answer, and Durga once again hesitated as she seemed to close off everyone before giving a sigh and turning around.

"Were it still possible..." Durga said before trailing off as her hands tightened into fists. She then turned around to face Shiva with love and forgiveness in her eyes, which caught him by surprise until she spoke again. "Were it possible, I would have been proud to bear you a son such as Link." She said and Shiva's eyes went wide as a deep pain revealed itself.

"So that's... ah hell..." Indra mumbled as he looked away, now ashamed of his demand for an answer now that he knew Durga's reasoning. She wasn't trying to hide anything from them, she was trying to avoid hurting Shiva.

Shiva closed his eyes as his hands turned into fists as he fought against the shame that now rose up in him, for it was due to an injury he had inadvertently caused long ago that made it impossible for Durga to have children. Even now he could remember the revulsion he felt and the look on her face as his sword impaled her stomach, cutting into her womb.

"Husband..." Durga said softly and he opened his eyes to see her standing right in front of him, her eyes still filled with love and forgiveness. "I didn't wish to say anything because-" She started to say before stopping when he put one hand up.

"Because you believed it would sway my decisions, something you didn't want." Shiva finished for her. "You also wanted your student... Maharathi Link to truly earn his title as Deva Lakshama and Maharathi Uma had to earn theirs." He said then sighed as he put his hands on her shoulders. "Sometimes I wonder what I must have done to deserve you... to deserve all of you." He said as he brought his gaze up to include Paravti and Kali.

"Hmph... so this whe... Link is seen by you as a son, Durga?" Indra asked as he brought one large hand up to stroke his chin, and Durga nodded her head. "Heh... so we got another possible Mahamaharathi on our hands?" He asked with a feral grin and gleaming eyes. "Now this is certainly interesting news." He said and Ravana offered up a small sigh.

"I suppose you'll be sending Agni after him?" Ravana asked and Durga's eyes widened slightly but Indra shook his head with another laugh.

"Oh no, because I'm sure he'll be coming here at some point in the future." Indra said confidently, to which everyone looked at him in confusion, before he looked at Shiva. "Shiva, I'm sure Maharathi Link would make a fine addition to the Atimaharathi Pariksana Sabita." He said and everyone looked at him, surprised by sudden turnaround of opinion. As always, their reactions merely made him laugh further in amusement.

* * *

Avyactha is a desert country situated to the East of Fiore. Though it has little in terms of farmland for crops, it instead focuses on its main resource, gold. Utilizing its rich mines, Avyactha is able to purchase any supplies it needs and boasts one of the strongest armies on Earthland to protect its borders.

**Avyactha Titles**

Atirathi - Granted to those who have earned the right to learn Maharathi, an Atirathi has already proven themselves to be powerful warriors; though they cannot truly call themselves a Maharathi unless they pass a Pariksana given to them by their Guru. In Hindu mythology, Atirathi is a warrior that can contend with 10,000 warriors simultaneously.

Maharathi (Magic) - The primary magic utilized in Avyactha, this allows those with the magical ability and the recognized martial talent to quickly change between different weapons in a battle. Any kind of weapon may be stored, as well as ammunition for ranged weapons.

Maharathi (Title) - Granted only to the finest warriors that pass their Pariksana, or Trial, Maharathi is a highly respected title in the country of Avyactha; so much so that to falsely claim it results in a true Maharathi being dispatched to kill those that would tarnish the name. Maharathi is the equivalent rank of an S-Class Mage from Fiore. In Hindu mythology, Maharathi is a warrior that can fight 60,000 warriors simultaneously, circumspect of his mastery with weapons and all combat skills.

Deva - A grouping of the fifteen strongest Maharathi's, there is only way to become a Deva; to defeat an already proven Deva in a duel witnessed by at least one Atimaharathi and four other Devas. Each Deva has the ability to fight at least two lower class Maharathis at once, and are looked at as Captains of the Avyactha Army. Their power is comparable to upper-class S-Class mages to lower-class Ten Wizard Saints. In Hindu mythology, a Deva is one of hundreds of deities.

Atimaharathi - The strongest group of warriors in all of Avyactha, there are currently only five; God of War Indra, Piercing Shot Ravana, and the Shakti Triplets; Berserker Kali, Queen of Tactics Paravti, and Durga the Destroyer. Each is capable of fighting unknown numbers of lesser fighters or mages, and can fight at least four Devas simultaneously. Atimaharathi's are the Generals of the Avyactha Army, and answer only to the Maheshvar. The only way to become an Atimaharathi is through the Atimarathi Pariksana Sabita, or Atimaharathi Proving Trial; which only proven Maharathis and Devas can contend in, though a Deva or above can recommend a foreigner for the chance of the title Avatar. Their power is comparable to mages of the caliber of Jose and Makarov of Fiore. In Hindu mythology, Atimaharathi's were capable of fighting twelve Maharathi's simultaneously; while Avatars are beings to be messengers of Shiva or Vishnu, two of the three highest of the Hindu gods.

Maheshvar/Mahamaharathi - Maheshvar is the Great Lord of Avyactha, and as such is responsible for the nation's well being. Maseshvar is not a hereditary title, but is rather given to the strongest and smartest of the Avyactha's warriors and is usually named well before the current Maheshvar's time; the chosen successor's title being that of Mahamaharathi, or Supreme Warrior. A Mahamaharathi is selected only from the Atimaharathis and Devas, though an Avatar may fight if he has proven himself/herself worthy of calling Avyactha his home. Those chosen are put through grueling tests that put them to the edge of their physical and mental abilities, and continues until only one remains standing at the top. A Mahamaharathi is said to be capable of fighting an entire army alone, and his/her power to be so great as to split the heavens when their power is fully revealed. In Hindu mythology Maheshvar is a title for Shiva meaning Great Lord, and a Mahamaharathi is a warrior capable of fighting twenty-four Atimaharathis simultaneously.

* * *

And that arc is officially wrapped up... hopefully I introduced the other characters okay. Next few chapters will be Into the Past chapters, so it will be focused on Young Link and adapting to Earthland; starting with how his first job actually went and I'll move on from there.

Before that though, I need to return to my neglected stories and get some new chapters of them out.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	25. Into the Past: Link's First Job

So, before I get started with the chibis, I'm going to answer inkyknerd's review concerning the Master Sword.

_inkykenrd_  
_2011-11-06 . chapter 24_

_good story one point you need to bring up the master sword can only be weilded by the hero of time so how come ezra could use it_

My point of view is through my interpretation of Rauru's words and statements found on the Zelda wiki concerning the Master Sword. I'll put examples of what I found and give my reasoning as to why I believe why not only Erza, but others can in fact wield the Blade of Evil's Bane.

To protect the blade from any misuse, the Sages ensured that only those pure of heart and strong of body could lay their hands on it. 

and

The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch

The way I read this, this means the Master Sword can indeed be wielded to a certain degree by other warriors; but only those who do not have evil dwelling in their heart. Instead, they must want to use its power in defense of justice. To me, that means Erza could indeed wield it effectively for she wished to use it to defeat evil and defend her Guild.

Now then, does that mean I believe she or anyone else would be able to use it to defeat someone like Ganondorf? No. Hell no, even.

Only one worthy of the title of "Hero of Time" can pull it from the Pedestal of Time..._._

First of all, that means only Link, or those with the same principles and qualities as Link, is capable of pulling the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. While I cannot find the exact statements on the site, I remember reading that the Master Sword can only be pulled from its resting place by one with the blood of the Hylian Knights flowing through his veins. In addition, the Master Sword seems to have its own consciousness; only allowing itself to be pulled from the Pedestal in times of Hyrule's greatest need, and only by one it deems worthy. This of course is merely speculation on my part, but it could be Fi, the entity in the Goddess Sword, still inhabits the Master Sword and is drawn to those who are similar to Link from the Skyward Sword game at a subconscious level. This would ensure that only those with Link's blood, or at least the same ideals and principles, could draw forth the Blade.

Only one worthy of the title of "Hero" could pull the sword from the pedestal and unlock its true power. 

In addition to my first statement about taking the Sword from the Pedestal, there remains the point of unlocking its true power. To add to my argument, I will compare it to Excalibur and Samurai Jack's sword. In both cases, they are mythical blades that can be, and have been, wielded by others than themselves. However, only those chosen by destiny can utilize their full potential in the fight against evil and evil forces.

This fact means that while an individual may be a better fighter than the one chosen by destiny, such as Lancelot was a better fighter than Arthur, they lack something the individual has that lets them bring forth the weapon's true power.

Hopefully my view on the Master Sword explains why Erza was able to utilize the Master Sword to deflect the blast of darkness back at Jose, though don't think Link would allow anyone to use the Sword lightly or without serious thought.

With that out of the way, on with the chapter! And as a reminder, this is when Link and company are kids.

* * *

Into the Past: Link's First Job

Link gave one last look out the window of the train before it pulled into the Onibas train station, thus cutting off his view of the city, then looked over at Erza as she stood up and brushed at her white skirt. "Let's go." She said once she looked back at Link, whose expression had turned expectant. "Now we need to get transportation to Thistle Village, and I'm sure we can get directions here at the station." Erza said and Link nodded his head as he stood up then motioned Erza to go ahead of him.

The two of them walked through the station, Erza hesitating once or twice as she tried to remember where the help desk was located, and in two hours were on their way to Thistle Village and the demon that tormented it.

"Okay, it should take us fourteen hours to reach the village." Erza said as they sat comfortably in an oxen driven carriage. "Let's use this time to come up with a strategy for what we'll be fighting." She said and Link nodded his head then reached into his bag to take the job description out.

Link read through the description again and a confused expression crossed his face before he looked up at Erza and handed the job to her. Erza read through description before she paused once she read exactly what it was that was troubling the mountain village.

"An Asag, is it?" Erza said speculatively then gave a small sigh. "I already knew that this wouldn't be an easy task... but when Master said it was a minor demon, I was expecting something smaller." She said then looked up at Link to see him looking at her, his confusion still on his face. "You... you don't know what an Asag is?" She asked and Link nodded his head in confirmation. "You already read this description but it didn't matter to you find out what you would be facing?" Erza asked incredulously and Link paused as he considered her words.

"I was going to find out the details from the villagers." Link said quietly after a moment of silence. "Since they had seen it multiple times, I believed they would tell me all I would need to know in order to make a plan." He said and Erza blinked as she looked at him in surprise. "The most important part was getting here to defend the village and save the people." Link said firmly and once again his eyes looked as if they had blue flames flaring up within their depths.

Erza was once again taken aback by his firm stance and the light in his eyes, and it took her several seconds to recover from her surprise. "Well... I know some basic information, but hopefully the villagers will have more to tell us." She said as she looked to the side and Link looked at her expectantly. Erza took a few moments to make sure she remembered all the information she could then looked back at Link as she crossed her arms. "Let's see... an Asag is a demon made of stone and the size of a medium-sized hill." She said as she studied Link for any signs that he might suddenly lose the desire to continue with the job.

Link seemed not to notice the scrutiny as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest while he closed his eyes; his entire posture showing himself to be in deep thought. "I'll need to test how strong its defenses are." He said after several minutes with a shake of his head as he opened his eyes, though he didn't appear to be seeing anything currently around him. "But this could be like fighting..." Link trailed off and Erza's eyes tightened at his words.

_Has he truly done this before? _Erza wondered, for Link almost seemed to be comparing the upcoming fight with a previous encounter.

"I have a plan of attack." Link suddenly said as he looked up at Erza.

**_Thistle Village_**

It was dark as the carriage drew into the mountain village and came to a stop. The sudden jostling made Link and Erza, who had both decided to get some sleep at one point during the ride, snap to full alertness even as the driver hopped down to go and wake them. "Hey, kids, we've arrived." He said as he moved to knock on the door when it started to open.

"So we have." Erza said as she rubbed her eyes while she walked out while Link covered a yawn, his elbow tapping the Hylian Shield on his back, as he followed her. "Thank you for getting us here." She said and the driver just smiled as he waved his hand dismissively.

"It's my job after all." He said then looked up at the night sky. "If I were you, I'd find a place to sleep for the night then get started tomorrow." He advised then covered his mouth with a yawn. "I know of an inn here, if you follow me to the stables I can show you were it is." He offered and Erza nodded her head in appreciation.

"No, we should hurry." Link suddenly spoke up and the driver looked at him in surprise while Erza looked at him sternly. "There's no-"

"We are going to rest so we will be at our best for tomorrow." Erza cut Link off firmly but Link met her gaze without backing down. "Was it not your idea to get more information about the Asag?" She demanded and at that Link hesitated then looked down. "We'll get the information tomorrow from the mayor and then move out." She said and Link took a calming breath before he nodded his head in agreement.

After a night's rest and a good breakfast, the two found their way to the mayor's office to talk to the man who had put in the job request. "You're joking." The mayor, a slightly overweight, middle-aged man with a head full of thick blonde hair, said as he looked down at Link and Erza, the job currently on his large, mahogany desk. "Children were sent to save my village... do you two think this is funny? !" He demanded as he suddenly stood up to his full height, the motion making his plush chair slam into the wall behind him.

"I assure you, we're quite serious about this." Erza said as she and Link looked at the mayor steadily. "Master Makarov would not have let us come here if he didn't think we could do it." She said and the mayor paused, his respect of Makarov's reputation letting him calm down.

"Very well... I suppose you two have a point." He said with a tired sigh as he sat back down. "But tell me, have either of you fought an Asag before?" He asked and they both shook their heads.

"This shall be my first demon, in fact." Erza said and the mayor gave a small sigh of resignation.

"I suppose the same could be said about your friend here." He said as he gave a small shake of his head. "I'm starting to doubt the stories I've heard of this Makarov." He admitted before pausing as Link took a step forward, his blue eyes boring into the mayor's brown. "What?" The mayor asked after Link said nothing for several seconds.

"Link claims to have fought demons, or monsters strong enough to be in the same league at least." Erza said and the mayor blinked before he looked at her in disbelief. "Master believed him, and thus he allowed us to come and fight." She said but the mayor continued to look at her in disbelief for a while longer then shook his head.

"Look, kids, I know you're confident in your abilities, but fighting a demon is nothing like fighting another hu- ah!" The mayor started to lecture when he froze as he shifted his gaze to Link. _His eyes! _The mayor was shocked by the look in Link's eyes. They were not the expression of a youth coming to test his strength against something new and unexpected. Rather, they were the eyes of an experienced veteran that knew exactly what he was getting in to.

"Mayor, please tell me everything you can." Link said with quiet determination.

After several, long seconds, the mayor swallowed then clasped his hands together on the desk. "An Asag is a rock demon, normally the size of a good sized hill, with the strength to tear out large chunks from a mountain." He said and his eyes tightened. "Luckily, all that's been troubling us are its "children"." He said and the two young mages looked at each from the corner of their eyes. "They are about the size of oxen, all of them bearing resemblance to their monstrous "parent". They come in numbers no less then two dozen, though I have seen up to three and a half at one point, and we haven't been able to get through their stone skin." He said and Link's eyes glazed over as he crossed his arms.

_If it's like that... then... _Link thought then glanced over at Erza.

Erza caught his look and didn't react for several seconds before she gave a small sigh. "Where do they normally come from?" She asked and the mayor paused for a moment before he stood up.

"Follow me and I'll at least point you in the direction they normally swarm from." He said and they both fell in behind him as he walked out of his office then went to go outside. They followed him through the small village, there were only a little more than two dozen homes, half of which were demolished, and there were maybe five dozen people going about and trying to repair their village.

Link's eyes narrowed as his hands tightened into fists, the motion taking Erza by surprise. Unknown to her, Link was currently fighting memories of Kakariko Village after the shadow demon Bongo Bongo had escaped from its prison. After a few moments, Link shook off the memories and saw Erza looking at him in mild concern. Link gave her a faint grin that she obviously didn't believe, but they both had to look forward again when they noticed the mayor had stopped walking.

"Up over there, halfway up that mountain is where we see them come down from." The mayor said as he pointed at the highest peak of the mountain chain that was only eight miles away from the village. "Where the "parent" might be, I don't know, though I suspect it's somewhere up there as well." He said and the two of them took in the size of the mountain before Link gave a small shrug. It was large, but not quite as big as Death Mountain.

"Thank you." Link said then immediately went off towards the mountain without another word, his focus already on the demons he would be fighting; Erza coming up easily to run beside him. The two of them ran in silence and when the finally reached the foot of the mountain quickly started their ascent.

They had been jumping up, or climbing when necessary, for over three hours when they came upon a wide ledge that led into a large cave. "Hmm..." Erza said thoughtfully as she looked at the cave then back down at the now far distant ground while the wind whipped at her pony tail and Link's hat. "This may be the halfway point." Erza said and after his own look, Link nodded his head in agreement. "Which means..." Erza said as they both turned to look inside the cave.

"The Asag and its minions should be in here." Link finished and brought his left hand up to ensure his sword was in place while Erza brought hers partway out to check its edge then resheathed it. Link looked over at Erza the same time she glanced at him, and the two nodded their heads at almost the same time.

"Right then, let's go." Erza said and the two of them walked in side by side, their eyes scanning around to try to catch a glimpse of any enemies. The cave was massive, easily large enough to not only contain a monster as large as a hill, but also long enough that it could sleep in the back and none would be wiser. This, of course, made them both even more sure that the Asag was located in this cave.

The sound of rubble shifting suddenly echoed throughout the cave, making them both freeze as their hands went to their weapons. Link's ears started to twitch when they suddenly went back with a slight downward angle. Erza noticed their movement but didn't know what to make of it until Link pulled his sword out and held it at the ready, and she immediately did the same. _Are they an indication when he's ready to fight? _She couldn't help but wonder when suddenly chunks of rock from the walls and ceiling exploded toward them.

Erza's eyes went wide with shock and for a second she hesitated, trying to see an escape that didn't exist, when Link pulled her in close; his eyes showing no fear at the ambush. A blue crystal surrounded the two of them just a couple of seconds before impact, and Erza looked at it in surprise as it held firm against the barrage of stones. _Wait... _Erza realized as she was able to catch glimpses of the boulders before they were reflected off; a head, four powerful looking legs, and a thick tail. _Those are the Asaglings! _Erza realized even as she came up with the name for the smaller versions of the larger Asag.

Link's right eye twitched as he started to feel the strain against Nayru's Love and then the barrage was over. _Just like with the Song of Storms... but it still kept its strength. _Link determined then dropped his spell and immediately rushed forward to slash down with the Kokiri Sword at the nearest Asagling. Sparks flew as his sword cut deeply and then one was down, its head dropping heavily to the stone floor; cracking the stone under its weight.

At the same time Link had moved, Erza dashed out in the opposite direction and attacked another Asagling with a downward two-handed slash that left this one decapitated as well. _So tough! _Erza thought in surprise, for it had taken longer than she had expected to cut through. _If it hadn't been partially stunned-_

"GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!" All the Asaglings, forty all together now, suddenly roared in rage and came in at the two, their charge making the cave shake. Once again, the two charged out in different directions, both of them instinctively knowing that their best bet was to stay mobile.

"Requip!" Erza shouted as she Ex-Equipped her saber then Requipped a broadsword twice her size, the process taking several seconds as her concentration was split between that and avoiding the rampaging Asaglings. "HHAAAAAAAAAA!" She screamed as she narrowly avoided a rush from five of them and retaliated with an upward slash that cut halfway through its body before slowing. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Erza continued to scream as she pivoted while pushing the monster up then used it as a weapon as she pivoted and jumped to bring it down on another Asagling, the force of the blow allowing her to finish cutting through the first one and shattering the left flank of the second. She couldn't afford to give them any more attention as she was forced to go in a wild frenzy of flips and counter slashes that indeed caused damage, but not enough to finish any more of the creatures with one blow.

On the other side of the cave, Link had already put his Kokiri Sword into his bag while in midair, he had already come the conclusion a more powerful weapon was needed, and was about to do the same with his Hylian Shield when one Asagling made a sudden leap that took him by surprise. "HYAA!" Link yelled as he reflexively threw the Hylian Shield as hard as he could and it smashed halfway through the Asagling's face, the impact turning it aside long enough for Link to reach into his pouch and pull out the Biggoron Sword.

Link landed easily on his feet then immediately brought the sword horizontally behind him and a blue aura surrounded the blade as six Asaglings came in all around him. Four more launched up over them to bear down on him while the aura turned from blue to red. "HYYAAAAAAA!" Link roared as he went into a high speed spin and the red aura exploded outward in a wave of destruction that destroyed all ten of the Asaglings immediately while damaging many others that were caught on the outer edge of the attack.

Erza, who now had two broad swords as big as her, had been in the process of using both to smash down another Asagling right after avoiding a rush of four of them when the explosion of energy knocked her off balance. She quickly spun in the air to land on her feet and paused for an instant to look over at Link to make sure he was okay, and only due to what she had witnessed in the not too distant past was she able to fight through the shock she felt at the damage Link had caused. Close to a dozen of the Asaglings were just gone and another half dozen were injured as well; with just one attack, Link had taken out over a third of the original number of Asaglings. The other Asaglings paused as they regarded the young warrior in green, trepidation in their onyx eyes. "GUUUUUUAAAAAAAAANN!" They suddenly roared, their voices now pitched high; almost as if they were crying.

Link and Erza paused at the sound uncertainly for a few seconds before rushing in to destroy five more before they could react.

**"GRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" **A sudden bellow shook the cave, causing large chunks of rock to dislodge from the ceiling and come crashing down. The Asaglings hardly seemed bothered if a boulder managed to hit one of them, the rocks merely bouncing off its thick hide. Four of them, however, were not so lucky due to the damage they had taken from Erza and were crushed. Link and Erza were forced to dodge between the falling boulders; sometimes they could only barely dodge and sent flying several feet from the impact.

"GUUUUUUUAAAAAAAANN!" The Asaglings that remained roared again in response and something in the darkness of the cave shifted, something massive. "That must the Asag." Erza stated as her grip on the broadswords tightened and Link nodded his head in agreement as the cave started shaking again in time with massive footsteps. All the Asaglings that remained, now only seventeen within the few minutes of combat, fled to their "parent" to take shelter and regroup under its mighty bulk.

The two of them stood firm as the silhouette of the Asag moved into the light with only six ponderous steps to show an Asagling on a massive scale. Its head was easily thirty feet in diameter, its eyes five feet of the darkest onyx, and each of its razor sharp teeth were no smaller than Link's Biggoron Sword. Its eyes locked on to the two mages and an unholy light sparked from within their depths as it regarded the two intruders and killers of its "children". **"GRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!" **The cave shook once more as it gave another massive bellow, this time Link couldn't help but wince slightly from the sound despite his battle focus, and the Asaglings charged out from under its bulk. Their charge was preceded by a swift stab from the Asag's mighty tail, a strike that two narrowly avoided and that sent rubble pelting into them.

Erza quickly turned and placed her broadsword in front of her to deflect the rubble while Link surrounded himself with Nayru's Love to take care of the rubble so that he would still be able to keep track of the Asaglings. Because of that, he wasn't surprised when an Asagling rushed in was where he was about to land and dropped the spell while he pivoted and jumped over its spinning tail attack; which left it open to a counter from Link in the form of the Biggoron Sword impaled into its face. Erza, though, noticed her own Asagling too late and was sent flying from the blow. Her armor absorbed most of the blow, however, and so she was able to keep her wits and deal a downward slash at another Asagling; her momentum allowed her to slash it into two halves down the middle.

Before the two could reorient themselves, a massive, clawed foot came smashing down, the shockwave from the impact slammed them to opposite sides of the cave and into the stone walls. Both of them coughed up blood from the impact and went down to one knee as they landed on the ground while eight Asaglings came in at Link and seven went in at Erza.

Blue flames burned in Link's eyes as he tossed the Biggoron Sword up into the air and brought his right palm over his left fist. "Hup!" He said as the Asaglings rushed in at him without regard and he quickly brought his left fist up then punched down at the ground. "HYYYAAAAAAA!" Link roared as Din's Fire exploded out from him and slammed into the Asaglings. Due to their skin, they were able to resist the intesnse flames but were still all pushed back from the impact to land heavily on the ground twenty feet from him. However, Link had already known that their skin would most likely be able resist the intense flames of Din's Fire, he had only needed to buy time for what he had truly planned for the stone monstrosities. As the Asaglings struggled to their feet eight bombs came out in rapid succession, each one impacting with a stony head, then detonated to entire consume each one in a fiery explosion.

"Requip." Erza said as she Ex-Equipped her two broadswords and then her normal armor to Requip leather armor colored a light grey and two short swords. "Myojo no Yoroi." She said as she stood tall against the incoming monsters. The armor had feather-like decorations with a short cape, her arms and legs fully covered by the armor, and her eyes narrowed as she crossed the two short swords over her chest. "Koshi no..." Erza said as she let them come in within a few feet of her and the swords started to glow with a bright light. "KEN!" She screamed as she slashed outward with her swords and an arc of light shot out that smashed into all seven Asaglings. Though they weren't completely destroyed, they were still obviously dead as the front half of their bodies was now gone.

"Haa... haa..." Erza breathing was a little heavy from the intensity of the combat, though like Link she was able to get it under control. _Just the- _"AAHH!" Erza suddenly screamed as she dropped down, just narrowly avoiding the Asag's massive claw. At first the force of the blow actually pulled her in after it until the impact of the strike sent her in an uncontrollable flight towards Link, who caught the Biggoron Sword as it came back down then rushed out to catch her.

Link slid back after his one-armed catch that he turned into a backward jump as he saw its massive tail coming down to crush them, and once again he smashed into the cave wall. "GAH!" Link yelled in pain this time as he felt three ribs crack from the blow. The two had no time to worry about his injuries though, as the Asag's front left claws came in at them in a wide sweep, its claws tearing through the ground to prevent them from trying to duck under the blow.

"Jump on its hand." Link said and Erza nodded her head in agreement. The two of them each jumped for a finger and grunted with the impact, their bodies screaming in protest at their action, and when it finally stopped they almost went flying from the sudden reversal of the momentum; only hanging on by slamming their weapons into the stone skin enough to keep their grip. The two were quickly up and rushing up its arm and its onyx eyes showed a faint surprise at their charge.

The Asag brought its leg down and suddenly they were unable to run and had to hold on. "Link!" Erza suddenly yelled and he glanced down at her then looked over as its other arm came in to smash them flat. "Jump for it!" She screamed and Link nodded his head right before the two of them jumped out to narrowly slip through its clawed fingers, stabbing out so as not to fall back down to the ground. However, the Asag used more force than it should have as it tried to catch the elusive duo and its left front leg crumpled while its body was still twisted from the blow.

The end result was a roll that nearly crushed Link and Erza before it was out in the air and falling down the side of the mountain. "Go!" Link yelled over the tumult, the loudest she had ever heard him, but she had no time to be surprised if she planned to survive. The two of them once again ran up the Asag's arm, Link's balance perfect due to his life as a Kokiri and Erza too focused and scared to know that it should near impossible for her to run up a living creature as it slid down a mountainside.

The Asag turned its head to look at the two, and now raw fury shined out from those eyes as it struggled to right itself. The motion nearly sent the two flying to their doom, but Link put away the Biggoron Sword in one swift movement and then brought out the Master Sword before they started to fly away from the stone limb. "KYAA!" Erza screamed even as Link grabbed her left wrist and stabbed down with the Master Sword, a blue aura surrounding it to ensure it would sink in enough to hold them in place.

**"GRAAAAAGHHH!" **The Asag roared in pain as the Master Sword cut into it then tightened its grip on the mountain to stop its fall, dust and rocks kicked flying out from the effort. Link held on tightly for several seconds then glanced back at Erza to see her eyes focused one again.

"THROW ME AT ITS HEAD!" Erza had to scream to be heard, even with Link's hearing, and, although he looked at her in surprise at first, he nodded his head then carefully took aim while she Ex-Equipped the two short swords. He strained his muscles and threw with all his strength, and right as she went flying she Equipped a large broadsword twice her size held out in front of her. With the added weight she went even more swiftly down at the Asag's head and Link's shot was not only true, he was lucky enough to send her flying right at one of its massive eyes.

Never before had the Asag known pain like it experienced when Erza heavy sword pierced its eye, sparks flying as it sunk in. **"GGRRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" **It roared and it brought the arm Link was attached to to try and get her. A soft glow came from Link's left, gloved hand as he spun to place his feet against the Master Sword then immediately kicked off from it while reaching into his pouch and pulled out the weapon used to smash even the scales of dragons, the Megaton Hammer.

Due to his reduced strength, Link wouldn't have been able to properly wield it, even with the Goron's Bracelet enhancing his muscles. However, the conditioning his body had gone through as he had traveled throughout Hyrule, which included practicing nightly with the mighty hammer, had somewhat passed over and allowed him to direct it well enough as he was already flying down towards the Asag. With the added weight sending him down further, Link narrowly beat the hand to the orb and spun once to add momentum to his strike. "HYYYAAAAAAAAAAA!" Link roared right as he struck the eye a few feet from Erza, and a large shockwave issued out that sent Erza flying with a scream even as it shattered the eye completely.

**"GUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAANNNNNN!" **The Asag roared in agony as its hand changed to cupping it eye, easily catching and holding Erza steady. Link was quickly beside her with Nayru's Love surrounding him, and after taking his pouch off his belt he was able to restore the Megaton's Hammer.

"You're crazy!" Erza screamed and to her surprise Link met her accusation with a grin and a nod of his head. _Is he enjoying this? ! _Erza thought in shock and after a few seconds she found a grin had come to her face as well while adrenaline pumped through her body. Erza found, to her surprise, that she was actually enjoying this as well, right as her sword cut into the Asag's hand a few feet to her right.

Suddenly they were flying through the air as the Asag smashed into the ground, the impact tearing its hand away from its face. Link and Erza quickly grabbed at each other and each pulled at the other, bringing them together in a hug. Immediately Link had Nayru's Love up and thus the two, though they were bruised from the jostling when they landed, again narrowly escaped death. With a groan they struggled to get up despite the way the ground shook as the Asag thrashed about while getting its footing back.

Link and Erza could hardly believe their eyes as the demon got to its feet, large chunks of stone falling from its skin and it turned its one dark eye on the two and a low, grumbling growl that shook the ground issued from its mouth. "Now what?" Erza asked as she held her side and looked at Link, who narrowed his eyes and looked for his sword.

"I'm going to try something." Link said and Erza looked at him in surprise when he sprinted off towards the enraged demon.

"Wait!" Erza cried out as she started after him when a blinding pain from her ribs brought her to one knee. _Damnit... _Erza thought in irritation as she looked down at her stomach then brought her gaze back up to Link as he pulled out yet another item from his pouch that she didn't recognize, the Longshot.

The Asag had no more desire to let him get in close, though, and brought its front right leg down to try and crush him. As soon as it started to bring its hand up, Link immediately stopped his forward spring and went to the right. Thanks to his speed he was able to avoid the attack by a couple of feet and was once again sent flying from the impact. This time, though, Link turned his body and brought the Longshot to bear and got a perfect shot off at its forearm; the Longshot found a small enough crack to sink into and quickly reeled Link in.

The instant he landed, Link was already pulling out the hook and then quickly fired further up even as the Asag moved to attack him. This time the Longshot brought him within inches of the Master Sword and he quickly pulled it from the stone skin then immediately jumped at the Asag's remaining eye, the Longshot already up and ready to fire. Before he could pull the trigger, the Asag's fanged mouth closed over in a sudden vicious movement and then swallowed.

Erza eyes went wide with horror as her entire body started to tremble. "N-no..." Erza said slowly as tears welled up in her left eye. **"GRAAAAA- !" **The Asag started to roar before suddenly freezing as its whole body started to shake. "W-what?" Erza said in surprise while the Asag's stone face twisted in what was undeniably agony to the shocked onlooker. This time the Asag let out a small whimper before its eye shot wide open; and thus this final look of shock was last thing on its face when a reddish-golden circle of energy shot out from its neck. Slowly, almost sluggishly, the large head started to slide down from its body without another sound from the Asag to smash into the ground. Dust and high winds flew into Erza as the ground shook from the large impact, and the combination of that and her injured ribs threw her to the ground.

When everything cleared, Erza was able to slowly stand and look upon the body of the Asag standing perfectly still, and so it would stay as its head lay on the ground at its feet. Still, no feeling of celebration found its way into her heart as she slowly walked towards the thing. "Link..." She said weakly then froze as a sudden movement caught her eye. There, slowly, was Link walking towards her with the Master Sword and Biggoron Sword in his hands and the Longshot around his right ankle.

Link stopped when he saw her and his left arm twitched as he tried to bring it up, but exhaustion and the weight of the Master Sword prevented him from pulling off a wave. He did offer a grin though and started to put away his weapons as Erza ran towards him, the pain in her ribs now seeming inconsequential. He had just finished putting away the Longshot and was tightening the strings on the pouch when a sudden sense of unease filled his body. Link looked up just in time to catch a right cross from a now enraged Erza that sent him flying back towards the head of the Asag.

Link was surprised both by the strength of the strike (he had thought Erza as tired as him) and by the strike itself, so he had only managed to get up to his hands and knees when Erza stepped in front of him. Link slowly looked up to see Erza looking down at him with her arms crossed over her chest and doom in her eyes. "Requip." Erza said softly and Link blinked then had to shut eyes from the sudden glow of magic around Erza, and when he could see again he found her back in her normal attire. The look in her eyes remained the same though, and then suddenly, and to his surprise, Link saw a few tears welling in her left eye.

"If you ever... do something like that again..." Erza said threateningly as she uncrossed her arms to crack her knuckles. "I will give you a beating unlike anything you have ever experienced." She promised and Link, who had fought countless monsters, demons, a dragon, and even a man with the power of a goddess, found himself believing her and offered a small nod of his head. "I'm glad we understand each other." Erza said then realized she had new tears in her eyes and turned to get rid of them.

"It worked, though." Link suddenly said and Erza froze before turning back angrily at the now standing Link. "The village is safe, and we are still alive." He continued quietly then brushed the dust off his clothes.

Erza had to accept that fact, though the pain in Link's eyes from his cracked ribs and the pain from her own bruised ribs made accepting it rather difficult. Her mood suddenly shifted, though, as she considered something. "Hmm... I wonder what Master will think of you becoming food for the Asag?" She asked with a small grin as she crossed her arms and Link blinked in surprise. "Even though you had been so sure you could take it alone, you were nearly nothing more than a snack for it." She said almost teasingly and for some reason, Makarov's opinion on how he did mattered to him.

"It didn't swallow me." Link said in a quietly petulant tone as he crossed his arms and looked to the side. "Technically, I wasn't eaten." He said and Erza offered a small chuckle then winced as the motion made her ribs throb. Before anymore could be said, the pounding of hooves got their attention and Erza turned around to see several of the villagers riding in on horses; their looks of shock at the dead demon obvious even from where the two stood.

"Well, we'll let Master decide on-"

"Kya." Link suddenly said and Erza blinked in surprise at the sound when she suddenly remembered her scream and a her face went a bright red as she looked back at Link, who now had a small grin of his own. "Kya." He said again simply and Erza moved to face him again.

"If you ever tell anyone..." Erza trailed off threateningly, her face still red with embarrassment, and after a few seconds Link extended his right hand in a truce that Erza quickly took as the villagers stopped a few feet from the two.

"In... incredible..." The mayor said as he smoothly dismounted, his gaze never leaving the Asag's head. "You two actually pulled it off." He said then turned a wide smile on them, a smile that turned to concern as he saw the injuries the two had sustained in their fight. "You two, are you okay?" He asked in concern as the rest of the villagers, twenty in all, dismounted to help them.

"We'll be okay." Erza said then glanced back at the Asag's left hand. "A shame, I rather liked that sword." She said then offered a small shrug and winced, the movement again reminding her of her injuries.

"My shield." Link suddenly said and everyone looked at him to see his gaze up at the mountain. Link gave one wince from his broken ribs then immediately started walking back towards the mountain.

"Where do you think you're going?" Erza suddenly said and Link paused to look back at her in surprise. "You cannot hope to climb that in your state, so-"

"It was a gift." Link said firmly, his eyes showing no compromise, when he and Erza were suddenly lifted into the air and placed on a pair of shoulders each.

"We'll get your shield, don't you worry about that." The mayor said with a wide smile as the surprised mages were placed on horses. "But you two are getting some medical attention." He said firmly then nodded at the two riders who had mounted the horses the two were on. Before Link could protest, he and Erza were swiftly on their way back to Thistle Village.

That afternoon, the two were lying in two beds set in the same room and covered in bandages. "Does this happen often to you?" Erza asked after several minutes of silence and Link blinked his eyes at the sound then looked over at her curiously. "Getting this injured I mean." She clarified and Link paused then gave a self-depreciating grin as he nodded his head once; it had become a common occurrence since he had left his own village. "Hmph, then I suppose I'll have to do jobs with you from now on." Erza said and Link looked at her in surprise. "I somehow doubt this will be the last demon you decide to fight, and since I'm your partner I very well can't let you go and try something like getting eaten again." She said and Link's expression turned cross.

"Kya." Link said and Erza's face went red even as it puffed up in a pout. Suddenly, the two of them felt that something like this would come up more than once as they took on more jobs together, something that the two would use to get through harsh fights yet to come.

Link, though he truly wished to get back to Hyrule quickly in order to return the things that did not truly belong to him, couldn't help but offer a grin that Erza returned. "Partners." They both said then turned their attention back to recovering from their injuries so they could return to Fairy Tail and choose their next job.

* * *

Well, that's the first one done. Coming up next is Link's first meeting with Durga.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	26. Into the Past: To Become a Maharathi 1

Into the Past: To Become a Maharathi Part One

Link, now fourteen years old and a highly respected mage, stood in front of the stairs that led up to the second floor of the Guild House; Gilded Sword and Hylian Shield resting comfortably on his back "Come on, Link, why the delay?" A young Natsu suddenly asked as he came up beside him. "You did it, you're an S-Class!" He said with a laugh as he clapped his shoulder and Link offered a nervous grin in reply before they both heard Macao's laughter.

"He's probably remembering what happened to him the first few times he tried to sneak upstairs when he got here." Macao said and Link's ears drooped slightly at that while Natsu looked at Macao curiously. "Let's just Master is _very _adamant about only S-Class mages going up there." He said with a chuckle and Link nodded his head rapidly in agreement. "But there's no problem now, Link, so get up there and get your first S-Class job." Macao ordered with a jerk of his head and a friendly grin.

Link hesitated for another second before he nodded his head then gave Natsu a small grin. With that, he swiftly went up the stairs and looked around the mostly bare balcony before going to the Job Board. Once he walked up to it, he closed his eyes and was quickly surrounded by a green aura. The aura remained for several seconds before it traveled up his body as he thrust both arms into the air; within a few seconds it became a green orb that floated next to the board before fading from view. Once that was done, he returned his attention to the jobs and slowly scanned them all over for several minutes before he finally stopped with a sigh and looked down. _Nothing that even hints at a way... _Link thought before he shook his head to scan the jobs again. This time he picked a job after only a minute and carefully took it from the board, moving down the stairs in a flash and crossing over to the table Erza was sitting at.

Erza was now in a new breastplate, the update because of her new height and the modest bust she now had, and she looked up hesitantly as Link approached. When he showed her the job, she read the description before a pained look came to her eyes. "I see... good luck, Link." She said coolly and Link looked at her in surprise. The two had been partners for three years now, ever since his first job, and always before they had tackled every job together. Erza noted his surprise and gave a sad sigh as she gripped her cup tightly. "Link... surely you know the limitations for S-Class jobs." She said patiently and though Link nodded his head, he still showed he didn't quite understand what she was saying. "You're a new S-Class... Master won't allow a non S-Class to go with you on a job like this." She said but Link shook his head.

"You're just as strong, Master won't try to stop you." He said confidently and Erza offered a small smile at his words before she looked down uncertainly.

"Then how is it I wasn't even offered a spot in the S-Class Advancement Trial?" She asked and at that Link hesitated uncertainly; not sure himself of Makarov's reason. "You see?" Erza asked with a small sigh before she looked up at him. "I... think I might slow you down on an actual S-Class job." She said uncertainly and he looked at her for several seconds before he looked down at the job.

"I'll put it back then." Link said firmly and her eyes went wide before anger sparked in them.

Erza exploded up to put her face a few inches away from his and he leaned back quickly in reflex. "Don't you dare." She said firmly and Link blinked in surprise at her. "You fought with your heart and soul for the right to be an S-Class Mage, and I will not be the reason you refuse to take on the jobs more fitting for your ability." Erza said and after a few seconds Link's eyes narrowed at her before he put his face inches from hers.

"Those jobs that gave me that chance, we completed as a team." Link said just as firmly as she had, and now it was Erza who hesitated.

That hesitation quickly passed as she sat back down, refusing to look up at him for several long seconds as those around them watched the two in surprise; it was now a rare moment where Link would stare down Erza. "Very well." Erza eventually said with a smile and a sigh as her confidence returned. "I shall go with you on the next one, but only if you do this by yourself." She said her eyes went back to his and after a few seconds, Link nodded his head with a small grin. "Good luck." Erza said as he walked away and he glanced back at her with a confident grin and a fiery gleam in his eyes.

"Tch." Mirajane said in annoyance as she sat at another table with Elfman and Lisanna. "I can't believe that bastard actually made it." She said and Lisanna looked at her then sighed.

Mirajane had also blossomed, though her choice in clothes made it much more apparent. Her black halter top and black shorts showed off her growing curves for all to see, and Lisanna was starting to grow as well though her clothes tended to be more modest in nature. Because of this, Elfman was quickly becoming more aggressive as he punched out any young man brazen enough to stare too long at either of his sisters. The only one that had his grudging approval was Natsu, and that was simply because the young Dragonslayer still seemed uncertain how to act around his younger sister half the time.

"Mira-nee, you're just still upset because of what happened last year, aren't you?" She asked and Elfman nodded his head even as Mirajane shot her an irritable glare. "Come on, he was drunk and barely remembers what happened; just let it go." Lisanna said reasonably but Mirajane just shook her head.

"I won't let it go until he actually agrees to a fight. But all he does is just run away instead of letting me even the score." Mirajane said crossly and her response made Lisanna giggle. "What?" She asked darkly as Elfman held in his own chuckle.

"Mira-nee's pride was bruised because of how easily he held you back, even though you were fighting with Er-"

"Don't remind me of that!" Mirajane snapped sharply before she paused and offered a sigh. "Maybe you're right." She admitted grudgingly in light of Lisanna's smiling face before she crossed her arms over her chest as Link nodded farewell to Makarov then walked to the doors. "But until he mans up and faces the consequences of his actions, I won't forgive him." She said darkly, to which Lisanna just sighed again.

"Good luck, Link!" Gray, who was currently clad in just a pair of shorts, called out with a smirk and Link waved at him in acknowledgment with a grin of his own.

"Kick some ass!" Natsu yelled as he pumped his fist into the air with a wide smile and Happy pumped one paw into the air. "Aye!" He said in his squeaky voice.

**_Lupinus Village - Five Days Later_**

Link walked into the moderately sized village, a large forest a mile away from its southern gate, with the sun high in the sky and a small breeze blowing through the air. A large castle, which was the first Link had seen as he had approached, lay in the exact center of the village and Link immediately made his way towards it through the busy streets. _Hopefully the Mayor will have a good idea where these bandits-_

"ATTACK!" A loud roar suddenly came from behind him, cutting off his train of thought, and he quickly spun to see a large group of people in armor charging in at the village. "DON'T LEAVE A TRACE LEFT!" The same voice roared and Link's eyes narrowed while the citizens around him started to panic; one exception being one figure covered by a brown cloak and hood. This person started to move forward before pausing as Link sprinted out towards the incoming charge; his action taking some of the citizens who saw him by surprise.

"That kid's gonna get himself killed!" One middle-aged man yelled as Link rushed outside the gate then came to a halt, his eyes showing no fear of the incoming group.

Link stood firm as he watched them close in when suddenly his left hand tightened into a fist then punched the ground with all his strength. "HYAAA!" Link yelled as his fist hit the ground and a wall of fire exploded upward in front of him, making all the armored warriors charging skid to a halt in surprise even as they shielded their eyes from the heat and glare. When the fire cleared, they looked to see Link looking at them intently, his ears straight back.

"What the... that kid was able to cause an explosion that big?" One of them asked uncertainly when one of the others, his armor more ornate with several runes over it, walked forward with his broadsword held in his right hand.

"Kid, we have no problems killing you to get the supplies we need from that village." He said in a deep, booming voice but all Link did in response was to point at them then back at the forest they had charged in from. "Heh, you think we're afraid of that little spell you just used?" He asked and Link's eyes narrowed. "I'm a former Rune Knight, and every one of my men were once Knights. A little thing like-" *CLANG*

The sound of metal hitting metal sounded through the air as the former Rune Knight barely shifted his sword in time to deflect an arrow from Link, who had swiftly pulled out his Fairy Bow and an arrow from his pouch. Link had only taken an instant to notch the arrow and aim at the arrogant ex-Rune Knight before he had let fly. _This kid's fast! _He thought in surprise, for he had not expected such quick movements from someone so young. "Very well then! Kill him!" He ordered and the former Knights immediately charged forward to cut the young mage down.

Link had three more arrows out of his bag and notched by the time they took four steps and let them fly at the ground in front of their charge; this time an icy aura around all three. Intense cold erupted from the arrows upon impact, causing not only the ground to freeze from the sub-zero magic, but also the closest of the ex-Knights. Before they could recover their wits and their balance, Link began his own charge while he put the Fairy Bow back in his bag. When he was fifteen feet away, Link pulled out his sword then jumped over the icy ground to slash down at one of the ex-Knights, cutting through his armor with ease, then jumped from his falling body to attack another.

The villagers all watched with awe as Link tore into the ex-Knights with his sword and shield before they lost sight of him as the former Knights all moved to pin him down with sheer numbers. "That kid's done for." One woman said sadly when suddenly lightning erupted from the center of the ex-Knights, sending them flying away to show Link standing there with his sword and shield back on his back; a black and silver trident held in his left hand.

"Clever child." The cloaked figure said with a feminine voice while the shaken Knights slowly got to their feet. "But now that they know not to group too closely together to fight you, what shall you do?" She wondered out loud, ignoring the curious looks thrown her way.

Link quickly sprinted out and within a matter of seconds took down seven more of Knights with electric blows that finally knocked them out. _Thirty-eight left. _Link thought before spinning just in time to avoid a powerful downward stroke that nearly buckled his legs. _Strong! _Link thought in surprise as he looked up at the former Rune Knight.

"Not bad, kid, but- !" The Rune Knight started to say before jerking in surprise as lightning raced along the length of the trident and through his sword. To Link's surprise, though, the electricity fizzled out as soon as it hit the Rune Knight's armor. "Rune Knights are trained and equipped specifically to bring down mages, you foolish boy!" He announced with a laugh before planting an armored boot in Link's stomach, sending him flying back. "The rest of you raid the village!" He barked out as Link spun in the air to regain his balance. "I'll finish this one alone." He said as he twirled his broadsword and Link's eyes went wide as the remaining Knights turned towards the village.

"No!" Link cried out then rushed forward as his eyes, now burning with intensity, narrowed in concentration before he suddenly disappeared in a flash of green. While the Rune Knight's eyes went wide in surprise, Link reappeared in front of the former Knights without breaking his stride to continue his charge straight into the surprised Knights. He quickly took advantage of their hesitation and let loose with devastating sweeps and spins of his trident that also shot out forks of lightning from its end; unlike their leader, their armor was not protected against magic.

Link's attacks focused more on brute force and ferocity rather than his normal precision and skill with the occasional burst of magical power, and within minutes ten more Knights were down. Unfortunately, though, the numbers were also showing their toll on the new S-Class mage as he was covered in a myriad of wounds that ranged from the trivial to the normally debilitating. "Haa... haa..." Link panted out as sweat dripped from his brow, his trident now gone as he had once again gone back to his shield and sword.

"Haa..." The Rune Knight, as well as his subordinates, was also breathing a little hard, a fact that frustrated him to no end. "How... how can a child like you hold us back?" He demanded angrily before he paused to take a calming breath. "But I must admit, you fight rather well." He said with a patronizing smile then motioned to his remaining Knights, still almost thirty in number. "I'm feeling generous; I'll let you run back to your pathetic Guild if you leave right now." He said and Link froze as the fire in his eyes erupted into a blue inferno that held the former Rune Knight captive.

"What... did you say?" Link asked quietly but with a dangerous edge that drew everyone's ear as his grip tightened on his sword. "Burn this lesson into your soul." He said before he took a deep breath to focus his energy. "Din, Goddess of Power." He started to chant and a golden glow started to issue from his left hand. "Beacon of hope... flame of destruction..." He continued and the former Rune Knight shook off his hesitation then narrowed his eyes as he prepared his sword. "Grant to me thine heavenly flames... AND HUMBLE THE ARROGANT WITH TRUE MIGHT!" Link roared out the final part and golden flames exploded from him, the sheer force and heat of the flames causing everyone to cover their eyes; everyone except for the cloaked figure.

"YOUR MAGIC IS USELESS AGAINST THIS ARMOR!" The former Rune Knight bellowed in retort as he charged forward to engage Link, who just suddenly seemed to disappear from his eyes before reappearing before him in mid-spin; the golden flames now only around his blade.

"DIN'S ERUPTION!" Link roared as he completed the spin and a ten-foot diameter cylinder of golden fire exploded up around the ex-Rune Knight, completely engulfing him, as foot-sized holes began to appear leading up to where Link had suddenly reappeared. The pillar of flame shot upward into the sky and though the heat from it crossed over everyone, it wasn't overwhelming anyone past his target, only making them burst into a moderate sweat.

"RAAAWWWW!" The former Rune Knight screamed as the heat from the flames, completely focused upon him as he stood in the middle of the inferno, started to overwhelm the protection of his armor while his subordinates watched in horror. "My... my armor... you can't... MY ARMOR!" He roared in denial as he turned to look at Link.

Link brought the Gilded Sword down to his side as he glared back at the Rune Knight, who was now losing consciousness. "Insults to Fairy Tail are always repaid in full." He said and the ex-Rune Knight's eyes went wide before he gave a final bellow of denial then lost consciousness. Link dismissed the pillar of fire after a couple more seconds then turned his glare to the remaining ex-Knights and brought his sword up threateningly. "Leave." He commanded firmly and all of them took a few steps away from him.

Suddenly one of them stopped and stood firm as he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Wait!" He ordered and the others stopped to look at him uncertainly. "Look at him, that last attack must have drained most of his magical power." He said and they all took a closer look at Link; his breathing heavy, his entire body covered in a thick layer of sweat and several lacerations. "We can finish him off now, and then the village is all ours." He said and Link's face tightened as the ex-Knights started to regain their composure.

_If the village were farther away... _Link thought before he mentally shook the notion away, he needed to focus on what he actually had to work with. Suddenly his eyes went wide and he did a quick pivot on his right foot as he brought his shield up to narrowly block a downward scimitar strike from the same cloaked figure that had been watching with the villagers.

"Hmm... your reflexes remain sharp despite your condition." She said speculatively, completely ignoring the remaining ex-Knights. "You are also highly skilled with the weapons you utilized... but your current method of going between them is inefficient." She said and Link blinked as everyone else looked at her in surprise. "I will finish this, and then I would like to speak to you." She said as she took a step back then Equipped another scimitar to her left, dark-skinned hand.

"What the... who do you think you are?" The Knight that had shaken off his paralysis first demanded angrily and the cloaked figure offered a soft chuckle in reply that only incensed him further.

"I do not offer my name to petty thieves." She said before blurring out of sight. All of the Knights' eyes went wide in surprise before they saw her again as she came to stand five feet away from one of them calmly, the scimitars held out wide at her sides. "Especially one's of such low skill." She added before blood shot out from all of them as their armor shattered into small pieces. "Now then, do you need help getting into the village?" The cloaked figure asked as she Ex-Equipped her scimitar. Link hesitated for a few seconds, storing his shield into his pouch then sheathing his sword before storing it as well while all the villagers looked on with dumbstruck expressions.

Link then pulled a vial, a roll of bandages, and a small jar from his pouch and sat down right there. He quickly downed the vial then took off his tunic, showing off a highly defined physique that had all the young women blushing. The staring continued even after they noticed the long scar that started at right shoulder and went down diagonally to mid-stomach on his left side. He carefully, yet quickly, applied the white ointment from the jar to his wounds then applied bandages to the more serious ones, the cloaked figure waiting patiently for him to finish. When he was finally done, Link put his tunic back on then quickly jumped to his feet before he looked at the cloaked figure and nodded his head.

Fifteen minutes later, the two of them were sitting in a private room in a tavern so they could speak without being overheard. "I have never been one for dancing around a subject, so allow me to get straight to the point." The cloaked figure once the owner of the tavern had closed the door. "There's something about you that has piqued my interest." She said and Link tilted his head curiously as he looked at her. "Yes... there in your eyes... a lifetime of experience... of fighting and loss..." She said and Link's eyes widened slightly in surprise as he found himself held by an overpowering presence. "For an eternity, you were but a weapon-"

"Stop!" Link suddenly said as he closed his eyes and shook his head; he had never met anyone who just seemed to peer into his soul with such ease. _Except for... _Link thought as Rauru and Makarov suddenly flashed through his mind.

"Forgive me, child, but you have a pair of eyes so unusual for one your age." The cloaked figure said with a small forward bow. "Not even..." She said before trailing off and Link looked back at her curiously. "Nevermind, it is not important." She said firmly then folded her hands on the table. "This interest, combined with the way you fight, makes me believe you would be a good student." She said and Link blinked as he looked at her in surprise. "You will find the magic I plan to teach you a more efficient way of going through your weapons; your current method takes too long to be used safely against more powerful opponents."

Link looked at her for nearly half a minute, his gaze now focused and serious, when his ears suddenly flicked. "I don't know your name." He said and the stranger paused before a soft chuckle came from her.

"Of course, I've forgotten such a common courtesy." She said before pulling back her hood to show a beautiful woman in the prime of her life. She had long, black hair that went to mid-back and had red eyes that shined like rubies. "I am Durga of Avyactha." She introduced herself and Link's eyes went wide in surprise. Although Fiore and Avyactha were currently at peace, the two were not allied and travel between them was strongly discouraged. Durga noticed his expression and gave a small sigh when he suddenly blinked and offered a short, seated bow.

"Link Kokiri, of Fairy Tail." He said politely and now it was Durga's turn to blink in surprise before she offered another chuckle.

"I see. The fact that I am from Avyactha doesn't bother you in the least, does it?" She asked and Link shook his head twice. Nationalities, not even species, could ever bother the young mage after what he had done. "Well now, this tolerance makes you even more interesting." Durga said before she suddenly glared at him. "How do you know I am not here to look for weaknesses in Fiore's defenses?" She asked as her magical power slammed into Link, making him freeze.

_In the same league as… _Link thought as Durga continued to glare at him for several seconds before he was able to answer. "Because your eyes don't show that intent." He said quietly in reply and she paused as her presence returned to normal. "Thank you for your help earlier." He and, after a few seconds, she nodded her head in acknowledgment. "But I don't wish to leave Fairy Tail, so I must respectfully decline your offer." Link added and there was silence between the two for several minutes.

"Fairy Tail... that would mean your Guild Master is Makarov, one of the Ten Wizard Saints, correct?" Durga suddenly asked and Link paused for a few seconds before he nodded his head. "I would like to speak with him." She said as she stood up, bringing her hood back over her head in the same motion.

Link looked up at her in surprise for several seconds then stood up as well, indicating for her to follow him. He didn't feel any hostile intent from her, and he felt he could trust her.

It didn't hurt that he truly believed that only one person, someone that he had last seen spinning uncontrollably in an infinite void, could possibly defeat the Master of Fairy Tail.

* * *

Thus begins my three part mini-arc.

Don't know if everyone has already seen this, but here's a link to a drawing I had commissioned a while ago.

.com/art/Link-Mage-of-Fairy-Tail-Illustration-284991649

On a different note, I'm going to be making a poll for an idea I had. Once this mini-arc is over, I'm going to go back to present time after the Guild War between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord; but I have to say that I enjoy showing the interactions between Link, Erza, and other characters when they're still kids. So after some chapters I may, if an idea comes to me, put small scenes from that time frame. They would be too short to warrant their own chapters, even compared to some of my earlier ones, but something I feel like putting in just the same. They could be amusing, touching, or just a random scene that shows Link interacting with someone. If you think it's something you wouldn't mind reading, you can vote for it; if you don't, you can vote no or not vote at all.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	27. Into the Past: To Become a Maharathi 2

Into the Past: To Become A Maharathi Part Two

The Fairy Tail Guild House was bustling like normal as mages came in after completing a job, picked up new jobs to do, or just to relax and enjoy talking with their fellow Guild members. "Hey, how do you think Link's doing on his job?" Natsu asked Makarov as he ate some flaming pasta at the bar. "I bet he's almost back!" He continued with a wide grin and Makarov looked down at him with a grin of his own.

"Of course he's fine." Erza said as she delicately ate some cheesecake beside him. "There were no demons or large monsters mentioned in the job, so he's not likely to do anything too outlandish." She continued once she had finished a bite and Gray chuckled.

"Too outlandish period? Or too outlandish for him?" Gray asked and Erza paused before concern flashed in her eyes while Makarov and Natsu laughed.

"Perhaps I should have gone after all." Erza said as she looked back at the doors. _If he gets seriously injured because I let my-_

"I'm sure Link is fine." Lisanna said as she walked up to them, more specifically Natsu, with a sleeping Happy in her arms. "He may do crazy things, but he always has a plan, doesn't he?" She asked with a comforting smile; which made Erza stop and think.

After a few seconds, Erza gave a small smile as she nodded at her. "Although sometimes it's still hard to figure out what his plan might be sometimes." She admitted and Lisanna giggled while Natsu and Gray just looked at her blankly.

"You can actually figure out what he's actually trying to accomplish before it's done?" Natsu asked in disbelief and Erza nodded her head. "How the hell do you manage to do that?"

"First you need to see his initial reaction." Erza said before she paused to eat some more of her cheesecake. "After that, you need to get into his mindset to follow the path from the initial reaction to the desired end." She continued after she had finished a couple of bites, but all that explanation did was get looks of confusion from Gray, Natsu, and Lisanna.

Erza gave a small sigh as she tried to find the best way to explain it when Makarov spoke up. "In theory, it's actually very simple." He said then paused to take a sip from his mug. "You see what the first action is, and you know what the end result is going to be; the defeat of your opponent. Once you know both factors, you then think like who you're trying to predict would think and follow the path down from the first factor to its end result."

"Th-that's supposed to be simple?" Gray asked with wide eyes and Makarov laughed.

"I said that it's simple in theory." He said in reply then turned to look at him. "Don't kids these days know how to listen?" He asked and Gray hesitated before looking at him irritably for being called a kid. "It's actually a very complicated technique, for you need to follow all the individual steps that might be taken to accomplish the desired end." Makarov said then turned to look at Erza. "I wasn't aware you were so proficient in something like that."

"Link asked me about it after we defeated those bandits on our fourth job." Erza said as her posture straightened slightly while she talked to Makarov. "Apparently Link was already well-versed with it and said that I had a natural talent that caused me to use it instinctively." She said and Makarov made a small humming sound as he rubbed his chin speculatively.

"I thought I saw a hint of it before the two of you went on that first job... but I didn't believe someone as young as him had mastered something like that." He said when Natsu slammed his right fist into his left palm, getting everyone's attention.

"Wait, then that means you're inside his head when he's inside someone else's head... I think... was that right?" Natsu started to say excitedly before trailing off as he started to confuse himself then grabbed his head. "Uhh... that's too many heads to be in." He said as he felt a headache start to form.

"Too bad it couldn't be yours, that would be one less mind to worry about." Gray commented with a grin before his gaze went serious. "But still, Link can get a little crazy with his plans, and you can still follow it?" He asked before they paused as the doors opened to show Link walking in. "Speak of the... huh?" Gray started to say before trailing off as someone covered in a cloak walked in behind him.

All talking in the lobby ceased as Link walked up to the bar with the cloaked figure in tow, everyone curious as who Link had brought with him. "Link, are you okay?" Erza asked as she noticed the bandages and Link nodded his head with a small grin before he turned his gaze to Makarov.

"Master, job completed." Link reported and everyone immediately cheered as they temporarily forgot the cloaked figure.

"Well done." Makarov said with a wide smile before a familiar laugh made everyone look at the balcony to see Gildarts jumping down with a large grin.

"So you completed your first S-Rank, huh?" He asked then motioned to the cloaked figure. "And I see you've brought a friend as well." Gildarts said before sniffing the air. "Hmm... I don't think I've seen you bring a woman backbefore." He said as his expression turned from amused to curious while Erza glared at Link.

"Well, I'm sure Link has a reason." Makarov said as he slowly stood up then jumped down to land in front of the covered Durga. "Welcome to Fairy Tail, I'm Makarov, the Guild Master."

"The name's Gildarts, nice to meet you." Gildarts added as he came to stand a few feet to the right of Makarov, and Durga paused for several seconds before a small laugh issued from her.

"I see... both Gildarts and Makarov are here." She said in a soft voice before she brought her hands up to pull her hood back. "I am Durga of Avyactha." She introduced herself and while everyone else looked at her in varying degrees of surprise, both Gildarts and Makarov wore expressions of shock that quickly shifted to one ready for battle.

Everyone froze as the combined magical might of Gildarts and Makarov filled the air, even Durga stiffened; her eyes widening slightly in surprise. Gildarts cracked his neck while he brought his hands up to crack his knuckles while Makarov suddenly grew to two stories of muscular fury and glared down at her. Suddenly the air became heavier as Durga shifted her right foot back and Requipped two metallic whips and released her own magical power that showed her to be in the same league as the two Fairy Tail powerhouses; leaving almost everyone else struggling for breath or even knocking them out.

No one dared to move**, **not even Gildarts, Makarov, or Durga for fear of sparking the fight. Link suddenly jumped in between them, facing towards Durga with his arms out wide. The movement caused the three magical titans to shift their attention to Link, and his reaction was instantaneous. His eyes went wide as the great magical forces slammed into him and he immediately burst into a cold sweat as his entire body locked up. While his reaction might not be that surprising, the third reaction broke everyone from their own fear and look at him in surprise as his entire body was suddenly surrounded by a thin blue aura.

Their surprise caused Gildarts, Makarov, and Durga to release the pressure they had been filling the air with and Link immediately dropped to his hands and knees gasping for breath; the aura immediately disappearing. "Haa... haa... haa..." Link gasped out as his entire body trembled and Erza was at his side in a second.

"Link, are you-" She started to ask before she stopped as her eyes wide with surprise when she saw a glimmer of fear reflected in his eyes. Erza's surprise quickly shifted to anger as she turned to glare at Durga. "What did you do to him?" She demanded as she brought her right hand out to Requip a weapon when Link suddenly grabbed her arm. Erza looked at him in surprise to see that he was still looking down at the ground. However, he still seemed to know she was looking at him questioningly as he just slowly moved his head side to side.

Everyone was silent for several moments when Durga suddenly Ex-Equipped the whips and moved back to a neutral position. "My apologies for the part I played, but I was hardly the only one to cause that reaction." Durga said before her gaze went to Makarov and Gildarts.

The two of them were silent for several moments before Makarov sighed as he returned to his normal size. "I suppose I might have overreacted." He said as he scratched the back of his head. "Link, are you okay?" He asked as he walked up to him, but it was almost half a minute before Link was able to shakily nod his head then start to stand up.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Gildarts said as he looked down at Link while Erza supported him. "But for someone like Durga the Destroyer to suddenly appear here... kind of took me by surprise." He said and while several people reacted to that title, most of the Guild merely looked at each other curiously.

"Hmph, I suppose that gives you the right to try to intimidate a lady, does it?" Durga asked as she glared at Gildarts, who blinked before he brought his hands up in a placating gesture.

"Now hold on, I admit I overreacted a bit but you can't blame me for preparing for the worst." He reasoned before he stopped as Makarov put his hand up.

"Gildarts is right; how would you have reacted if I were to suddenly show up in Pandava Palace without warning?" Makarov asked and at that Durga paused before she made a small sound of amusement.

"You've made your point, Makarov of the Ten Wizard Saints." Durga said before her gaze became serious. "I am not here to cause an incident which would bring our countries to war. I am here to talk to you about your young mage." She said then indicated Link.

"Hmm?" Makarov got out as he looked back at Link in surprise, the same reaction everyone else had, before he looked back at Durga. "What is it you wish to discuss?" He asked curiously, all signs of hostility now gone from his expression.

"I wish to teach him." Durga said, a simple statement that got a rather large reaction.

"WHHAAAAAT?" Everyone yelled in surprise and Link winced as his ears flicked a couple of times.

"I will not repeat myself." Durga said, her attention still focused on Makarov. "However, he has stated he will not leave Fairy Tail... which puts me in a bit of a predicament. Makarov, perhaps we could talk in a more private place?" She asked and he paused for a few seconds before he nodded his head.

"Link, come with us." Makarov said and Link looked at him in surprise. "This conversation is about you, so you have a stake in it as well." He said firmly and Link immediately nodded his head then tried to straighten, only to find that Erza would not relinquish her grip.

"I would like to come as well." Erza stated firmly and Durga looked at her in mild surprise.

"Who are you?" Durga asked curiously while Makarov looked at her with a set expression. "And why do you believe you have the right to be present?"

"Erza Scarlet." Erza introduced herself without hesitation before steeling herself. "I'm Link's partner in accomplishing jobs, so this will impact me as well."

Durga said nothing for several seconds before she suddenly brought her right hand to her mouth to smother a small laugh. "I see... so that's how it is." She said then continued to laugh for a while before finally she finally stopped. "I'm sorry, but no." She said but Erza ignored her and looked at Makarov.

The Fairy Tail Guild Master had the same opinion, however; that much was obvious from the look on his face. "Tch... very well..." Erza said reluctantly then stepped back away from Link to allow him to stand on his own. Durga, Makarov, and Link all walked into the back without another word and immediately everyone started talking to each other in disbelief.

While the entire Guild was talking, Gildarts just stood there silently as he watched where they had gone with intense eyes. "Hey, Gildarts." Natsu suddenly spoke up as he pulled on his arm and he blinked then looked down at the Dragonslayer curiously. "You called that woman, "Durga the Destroyer", right?" He asked and Gildarts paused before he gave a sigh as he noticed the looks of curiosity from Erza, Gray, Lisanna, and even Cana, Mirajane, and Elfman as they walked up.

"Oi, give me a beer, would you?" Gildarts asked the waitress behind the bar, and she immediately nodded her head before hurrying to prepare his drink. "You brats go and grab a table... I'll explain once everyone's ready." He said and Natsu nodded before taking off to do just that.

Gildarts sat down at the appropriated table a couple of minutes later then took a long pull from his drink. "Haaahhh..." He gave out a long sigh as he closed his eyes then set down his beer. "Alright, what does everyone want to know first?" He asked as he opened his eyes to look at them.

"Who is that woman?" Erza asked immediately with an angry gleam in her eyes, which got a tired sigh from Gildarts.

"Durga, Atimaharathi of Avyactha, also known as Durga the Destroyer." He said and everyone immediately leaned forward curiously. "Does anyone here know much about Avyactha?" He asked but everyone shook their heads. "Of course..." Gildarts said then simply shrugged his shoulders. "Avyactha's view on utilizing magic is more military-based than Fiore... in fact the most common type of magic is a variant of Requip, called Maharathi. There are other types of course, but they are not as honored or sought after. Those chosen must first be able to use magic, but more importantly they must completely master at least one weapon style." He said then stopped to take another pull of his beer. "Those people are called Atirathi, and are taken under the wing of one that has at least obtained the title of Maharathi, one who has mastered use of that magic. I'll let those of you still curious look up the other titles later, but the important thing is that an Atimaharathi stands at the pinnacle of combat mastery and use of the Maharathi magic; you could equate them to Master." Gildarts paused there as he looked at the young mages one at a time. "I see everyone understands what that means, so now I can explain what I know about Durga." He said then took another drink.

"Durga is one of three sisters known as the Shakti Triplets, three of the most powerful battle-magi of Avyactha." Gildarts said once he had put his beer back down then sighed as he saw Natsu about to open his mouth. "I haven't fought them of course, but you all felt the amount of magical power Durga was putting out, right?" He asked and they all looked at each other nervously. "If I were to fight any one of them, the only thing I know for certain is that someone would die." He said coldly and all of them but Mirajane and Erza gulped nervously.

"Y-you can't be serious, right?" Natsu asked with a nervous grin. "You're super strong, and-"

"No one is invincible, Natsu." Gildarts replied simply and Natsu immediately shut up with a loud gulp. "The reason she's called Durga the Destroyer is because she goes into something akin to a controlled blood rage." He said then put his hand up to stall the question already forming on Erza's tongue. "You've heard of certain warriors that can go into a berserk state when enraged, I'm sure some of you have even seen it on your jobs." Gildarts said and all of them nodded their heads slowly.

"In that state, even your own allies are in danger of being cut down." Mirajane said and Gildarts nodded his head in agreement.

"As a matter of fact, one of the Triplets is known as Berserker Kali due to her usual tactic of going into that state in life or death battles." He said then gave a small grin. "I've heard it's actually terrifying to witness." He added with a small chuckle that took them by surprise. "What Durga does is similar to that, except it's more a state of complete clarity that goes side by side with the bloodlust." Gildarts continued before he paused and looked past the bar with narrowed eyes at the same time Natsu did.

"What is it?" Erza asked as she, like everyone else, looked to where Gildarts had turned his gaze.

Gildarts was silent for several moments before he sighed and shook his head. "Nothing... just thought I heard something." He said then straightened as Makarov, Durga, and Link came walking out from the back.

Everyone immediately stopped talking while the young mages quickly went up to Link with the exception of Mirajane, who refused to show interest in what might have been decided, and Erza, who looked down at the table with conflicted eyes. "Come on, let's go hear what was decided." Gildarts said as he stood up and walked over. Erza slowly nodded her head and got up to follow him while Mirajane made a small sound of annoyance then got up as well.

Makarov waited calmly as he stood in front of Link and Durga as everyone gathered around. "So what's gonna happen?" Natsu suddenly demanded eagerly, unable to contain his patience, and got punched to the ground by an agitated Erza.

"Be quiet and Master will tell us." She said firmly, though Natsu was in no position to answer as he lay on the ground dazed and barely conscious.

_Idiot, you should know better than to get impatient when Erza's like that. _Gray thought as he looked down at Natsu before he looked at Erza with uneasy eyes.

"Link will go and train under Durga." Makarov said and everyone's eyes went wide in surprise. "However!" He added firmly as he held one hand up to still any questions. "He will be back the week before the announcement of the next S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial." He said then glanced back at Durga, who nodded her head. "Furthermore, while news of Link learning magic will certainly get out; no one is say who is teaching him." He said as he looked back at everyone else. "Is that clear?" He demanded and everyone nodded their heads after a few seconds.

"Say your farewells." Durga said as she brought the hood back to cover her face. "I shall be waiting outside the West Gate." She said then walked out without another word when Link nodded his head.

Makarov turned around and put a hand on Link's right shoulder and offered him a confident grin. "Stay safe and make sure you're not late." He said and Link nodded his head as he gave a small grin back while he grabbed Makarov's wrist in return.

Link exchanged brief farewell with everyone when Mirajane suddenly stepped forward. "When you get back, you'd better be prepared to man up." She said as she glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest. "If you fail to come back and answer up, I won't forgive you." She said and Link blinked in surprise before he nodded his head while everyone just looked at Mirajane with varying degrees of disbelief. "Hmph, just so you understand." She said then turned and walked off without another word.

"I'm gonna want another match as well." Natsu said with a feral grin and this time Link just sighed before giving him a small grin as the two locked hands.

"And you'll get your ass handed to you again." Gray said as he stepped up to lock hands with Link next. "Good luck, Link." He said and Link nodded his head in acknowledgement.

The cycle continued until the last one left was Erza, who had not moved the entire time.

Neither of them moved for close to a minute as they looked at each other uncertainly. "Would you like to go for a walk?" Link suddenly asked and Erza jerked then nodded her head.

"S-sure." She said then moved to walk with him out of the Guild Hall.

"Hmmm..." Makarov hummed as he resumed his spot on the bar counter while Gildarts walked up to sit next to him.

"You sure this is a good idea, Master?" He asked as he glanced over at him and Makarov sighed.

"Not exactly..." Makarov said as he crossed his arms and looked down. "But if all goes well... then Link might light a path..." He said then opened his eyes and turned to look at Gildarts, who returned his look uncertainly for a few seconds when his eyes suddenly went wide.

"Heh..." Gildarts chuckled as he shook his head slowly. "I guess this is why you're the Master, and I just go about and do grunt work." He said, to which Makarov gave a small grin as his right eye twinkled.

Link and Erza both walked side by side quietly through Magnolia Town; neither of them even looking at each other. This continued on until they reached a grassy area by the wide river that went through Magnolia and sat down at the river's edge, side by side. "So, it looks like you'll be gone for most of this year." Erza suddenly spoke up as she kept her gaze fixed on the far side of the river and Link nodded his head once, his gaze set in the same direction.

Erza went silent again for a while after that and Link offered no intent to speak up as well. "I suppose if you find a way back to Hyrule... this could be the last time we see each other." She eventually said and Link's eyes widened slightly in surprise then he turned to look at her. "In that case, I wish you well." She said as her eyes tightened slightly. "Farewell," Erza said as she stood up and walked away.

"Wait." Link said as he stood up and Erza paused before she turned back to look at him. Link walked towards her as opened up his pouch and slowly pulled out the Fairy Ocarina. "You need to keep practicing." He said as he offered her the ocarina and her eyes went wide as she looked down at it in shock.

"No," She was able to get out as she shook her head then looked back up at him. "You said that this was a gift from a precious friend, so-"

"It is." Link cut her off simply. "Which is why I can't go back without it." He said with a small smile and Erza's eyes went wide as he once more extended the ocarina towards her.

Erza slowly reached out to take it with her right hand, and the instant she had it both her hands started to shake as tears welled up in her left eye. "I see... I'll take good care of it." She said as she brought it to her chest and Link nodded his head to show that he knew.

"One last song?" He asked and Erza was quiet for a few seconds before she rubbed her eyes with her left sleeve then looked up with a small smile and nodded her head. Link went back to his pouch and took out the Ocarina of Time, and they both brought their ocarinas to their mouth then took a breath.

_Du du duu, du du duu, du du du du duu du du du du duu, du du du_

Both of them swayed to the music as they played Saria's Song for several minutes when Erza suddenly started to trail off until she stopped playing. Link continued to play for a little bit longer until he noticed Erza had stopped and ceased to play as well as he brought the ocarina down and looked at her curiously.

Erza's entire body started to shake then suddenly launched forward to wrap her arms around Link in a powerful hug. "You take care of yourself." She said and Link's ears drooped before he returned her hug with equal strength.

"You too." He said quietly in return and then the two remained silent as they simply enjoyed each other's presence.

"You should go." Erza eventually said as she let him go and gently pushed on his chest. "When you come back, you had better be much stronger, got it?" She asked as she looked up at him and Link nodded his head as he stepped back.

"Farewell." Link said then turned around to take off to the West Gate.

"Farewell." Erza said as she watched him until he was no longer in sight. Only when she could no longer see him did she look down at the Fairy Ocarina. _Almost a full year... _She thought before a confident grin came to her. "You're not the only one who'll improve, Link." She said firmly as she turned to head back to Fairy Tail.

_**West Gate**_

Durga waited patiently for Link just outside the West Gate; standing twenty feet to the right of the main road. _The strength of that Makarov wasn't exaggerated at all. _She thought as she recalled the immense magical power that had radiated from him. _And as for Gildarts... it was in the same league, no question about it. _She realized then looked up at the sky thoughtfully. Her contemplations were cut short when she heard rapid yet very quiet footsteps coming towards her.

Durga looked up in time to see Link almost to her and he stopped when he was a few feet away. "Are you ready?" She asked and Link immediately nodded his head, his eyes set and full of determination. "Very well then, let's depart." She said then turned and quickly took off in a blur of movement with Link not far behind her.

* * *

Sorry about the delay on this one, everyone. A friend wanted me to help him with something and I was also getting some work done for an original book.

Special thanks to Vandenbz for double checking this in such a timely fashion.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	28. Into the Past: To Become a Maharathi 3

Quick recap.

Link, a newly appointed S-Class, goes on his first S-Class Job and ends up meeting Durga, a powerful mage from the country of Avyactha, who wishes to teach him Maharathi after witnessing his prowess with both weapons and magical ability. However, when Link refuses to leave Fairy Tail, she requests to go and speak with Makarov.

Link, certain she has no ill intent, agrees and brings her back to Fairy Tail to meet with Makarov. However, Makarov, as well Gildarts, both expect the worst when Durga, also known as Durga the Destroyer, shows up unexpectedly and prepare for a fight. Durga instinctively readies herself, showing her power to be in the same league as the two, but Link's intervention defuses the tension and allows her to offer a proposal to Makarov and Link behind closed doors.

In the end, it's agreed that Link will go and study under her, but he is to return a week before the next announcement of the S-Class Advancement Trial. Link says his farewells to everyone, and offers Erza the Fairy Ocarina to show her that he'll definitely return before they wish each other well. He then meets up with his new teacher outside the West Gate of Magnolia, where the two depart to begin Link's training.

* * *

Into the Past: To Become a Maharathi Part Three

Two figures faced each other stoically as they stood twenty feet apart in the middle of a clearing up in the mountains, both of them unarmed.

On one side stood Link, now a couple of inches taller, his blue eyes firm as he stared into the burning red eyes of Durga, his teacher for almost a year now in the ways of Maharathi and its uses in combat. Durga was currently wearing a pair of flowing pants and small vest, both silver in color, with a pair of sandals on her feet. "Remember, my student, you can only fight as a Maharathi for our final spar." Durga said and Link nodded his head once. A soft wind suddenly picked up, causing their hair to sway gently, and at that exact moment they both rushed towards each other. The second before they were within melee range, they both put up their left hands and each Requiped a sword and slashed down with a two-handed grip.

In Link's hands was the Gilded Sword, and Durga had Requiped a scimitar with with several lines going from its back to its edge running down its length. "Good, your Requip speed shows at least low-level mastery of Maharathi." Durga said with a small smile that Link returned before he did a small jump to the right then released a barrage of of one-handed thrusts into her side. She quickly adjusted her stance and skillfully parried all the thrusts then Requiped a djerid, a three-foot long spear with a wooden shaft and long, pointed steel head, that she quickly used to return Link's assault.

Link immediately Requiped the Kokiri Sword to his right hand and used its shorter length to narrowly pick off Durga's thrusts as he continued his own barrage until one of her attacks got through and cut his sleeve; at which point he quickly disengaged and Ex-Equipped both swords to Requip a staff. Durga moved forward as well to keep the pressure on him, but a series of masterful spins with the staff warded off all attacks from the scimitar and spear. As the tempo of the attacks started to increase, Link suddenly stepped forward and to the right as he ducked under the djerid and brought the left end of the staff up to slam against the shaft of the spear. The instant it hit, the end of the staff broke off and looped around on a small chain to entrap the spear. Durga's eyes widened slightly as she saw the now revealed tri-staff then she Ex-Equipped the spear while she jumped back to avoid a right downward stroke from Link.

Before Link could move forward to keep the pressure on, Durga countered with a horizontal sweep with the scimitar that was too far away to reach him. Too far, that is, until the blade disconnected into small sections held together by a thick, flexible chain. Now it was time for Link to be surprised while he dropped down with his attack, narrowly avoiding the attack, and caught himself on his right hand then quickly jumped back as he Ex-Equipped the tri-staff. Once again Durga refused to let up as she adjusted her stance then, with subtle manipulation of the hilt, brought the snake sword down with a vertical slash that Link once again narrowly avoided by jumping to the left.

The second his left foot came into contact with the ground, Link exploded forward to close the distance as he Requipped a pair of scimitars then went into a wild spin while holding them both out at full extension. _This again... _Durga thought as she jumped back while pulling on the snake sword for a strike. _I still haven't been able to get him to stop that ridiculous- _"HYAAA!" "Gah!" Durga's thought was suddenly blown away as a red aura exploded from both scimitars and slammed into her, sending her skidding back as well as blocking the strike from her sword.

When the energy expended itself Durga quickly looked up to see Link coming down from the sky with a double overhand slash and she quickly Requipped a broad shield that she used to block his strike with as she jerked on the hilt of her snake sword to reassemble it into a solid scimitar again. "Hmph!" Durga exclaimed as she exerted herself and threw Link back with an outward sweep of her shield arm then Ex-Equipped the shield and snake sword to Requip two metallic whips. She sent the right one out in a wide arc at the still airborne Link as she prepared the left one for the follow-up strike.

Link spun to his left while bringing his scimitar up before suddenly disappearing in a green flash to reappear behind Durga with a backhand slash that she ducked under while pivoting on her right foot to slam her left into his stomach, getting a cough of pain from him as he once again went flying up. Durga quickly followed through with her turn to face the proper direction then sent her left whip up at him and he once again disappeared in a green flash before it could touch him.

This time he simply reappeared on the ground ten feet in front of her and immediately rushed in as he Ex-Equipped the scimitars to Requip the Master Sword and Hylian Shield. Link was in striking distance in an instant and though Durga had set both whips in motion to come in and attack, they were both too far out to stop him. _This is it! _Link thought as he brought his sword down in a high left slash that he intended to stop just short of cutting her.

"Nice try." Durga said with a small smile and Link's eyes cleared of elation as four arms shot out from her sides; two from her right and two from her left. Her middle arms came up in a blur, one to grab Link's left wrist to stop the sword strike and the other to grab his shield arm and force it out wide. This left his torso wide open, which she then tore into with a barrage of punches with her bottom and top arms as she Ex-Equipped her whips.

Link was hammered for several brutal seconds before his eyes suddenly tightened. "HYAAA!" Link roared as a wave of fire erupted from his body and Durga quickly released him as she jumped back, barely staying ahead of the advancing sphere of flame until it finally dissipated after twenty feet.

"Enough." Durga said as Link dropped down into the crater created by his attack and he quickly jumped back out while Ex-Equipping the Master Sword and Hylian Shield. Durga crossed all six arms over her chest and stomach as she glared at him and Link met her gaze calmly. "I believe I said that you may only fight as a Maharathi, did I not?" She asked as the index finger of her right arms tapped her left biceps.

"You did, Guru." Link confirmed with a nod.

"And what did you do?" She asked irritably as her eyes narrowed.

"I fought like I normally would, using everything at my disposal. By your words, is that not how a Maharathi fights?" He asked and Durga's hands tightened as she closed her eyes while her face tightened angrily.

"Ahahaha!" She suddenly started to laugh loudly in amusement as her extra arms went back into her sides. "Well done, once again you show you can see the true meaning of what is said rather than take it at face value." She said before she brushed at a part of her vest that was slightly burned. "What's more, you held that little trick with your spin back from me until this final spar... now I see why you utilize that spin movement so often." She continued and Link nodded as he smiled back at her.

After a few seconds, Durga's smile shrank as her eyes dimmed slightly. "I don't suppose you've changed your mind about Fairy Tail, have you?" She asked and Link hesitated before he looked down and shook his head twice. "I thought not." Durga said with a small sigh before she turned to her right. "Come, let's break down camp." She said before taking off and Link was right behind her.

**_Later that afternoon_**

Durga and Link were both silent as he finished putting a sleeping bag into his pouch and tightened its strings. "Remember, my student, this "Weekly Sorcerer" will learn of what you have learned... it's inevitable." Durga said and Link nodded as he looked at her evenly. "At some point, due to you being an S-Class mage and having learned this magic, they shall label you with the title of Maharathi... our law will never allow that to stand." She said then made a small humming sound as she crossed her arms. "Perhaps one of my sisters shall send their protege to prove a point." She said before she looked at Link expectantly.

"My Pariksana is to defeat the one who comes to kill me... but I will not kill that person, Guru." Link stated firmly and Durga made a small sound of amusement.

"I would expect nothing less of you, my student." She said before her eyes suddenly twinkled with amusement. "Now, about that one girl-"

"Guru!" Link exclaimed as his his ears drooped low while his cheeks went red in embarrassment.

"Fufufufu," Durga laughed softly at his reaction. "Well, what happens shall happen." She said with a final laugh before her eyes became serious as she put her right hand on his shoulder. "Stay safe... my student." She said, her tone conveying a depth beyond her words.

Link nodded his head before his eyes went to her hand then gently took took hold of it with both hands. "I'll make you proud... Guru." He returned and as with Durga, his tone also conveyed a depth beyond his words.

The two were silent for several seconds before Durga gently removed her hand from his grasp. "Hurry and return to your Guild." She said and Link nodded his head then closed his eyes. After a few seconds a green aura surrounded him as a light wind started to pick up. Link slowly became more transparent as the green aura intensified when it suddenly scattered into dozens of small orbs that flew up into the sky.

Durga stared up as the orbs disappeared from view for several seconds; her face now blank. _"I'll make you proud... Guru." _Link's words echoed in her mind and after a few seconds she made a small sound of amusement. _Guru, huh? _She asked herself before she walked over to pick up her folded cloak and twirled it around her body in one swift movement to put it on. "I wonder... if this is how my sisters felt when they were first called, "Mom"." She mused quietly to herself as she brought the hood over her head.

_**Fairy Tail**_

The Fairy Tail Guild Hall was strangely quiet and tense as everyone nursed their drinks, nibbled at meals, or sat silently.

"Tch... I thought Link was supposed to be here yesterday..." Natsu, a little taller and muscular, grumbled as sat down at a table with Lisanna and Happy; his right leg bouncing up and down anxiously with his arms crossed over his chest..

"Be patient, Natsu." Lisanna, now a little taller and curvier, said in an attempt to calm Natsu down.

"Otherwise you'll upset Erza." Happy, now about the size of a normal housecat, added and Natsu's eyes widened slightly before he made a small sound of annoyance.

"But he's late." Natsu complained, which got a sigh from Lisanna. "Well he is, how come-!"

"Natsu." Erza, also a little taller and wearing newly modified armor for her increasing bust, suddenly said as she drank some soda at the bar and he immediately shut up mid-rant. "Link is to show up sometime this week, an exact day was never said." She said patiently, no hint of anxiety on her face, and everyone but Makarov blinked then looked at her in surprise. "What?" She asked as she looked around at everyone.

"You're not anxious about Link coming back?" Lisanna asked curiously and Erza made a small sound of amusement.

"Link said that he would be back, so he'll be back." Erza said confidently before she turned a curious gaze upon everyone. "Is that why it's been so quiet these past two days?" She asked and no one said anything for several seconds when Makarov suddenly chuckled.

The Fairy Tail Guild Master opened his mouth to say something then froze when a hint of a green light caught his peripheral vision. "It seems this discussion just became pointless." Makarov said with a wide grin and those closer to him looked at him in surprise while the others spotted the green orbs and looked up at the second level balcony.

There was a quick flash of green as the orbs came together that quickly disappeared to show Link standing next to the S-Class Job Board. "Well, look who finally decided to show up." Laxus said with a cocky smirk as he sat at the only table on the balcony. The teenager was wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt with an orange t-shirt over it and a pair of black slacks and he gave a small chuckle before motioning to the stairs. "Get moving, everyone's been getting antsy." He said in a tone just shy of commanding and Link's eyes narrowed while his ears flicked once before he decided to ignore Laxus and went to the stairs.

All of Fairy Tail cheered when Link started down the stairs and he couldn't help but grin as he saw everyone when one voice suddenly called out. "Link, fight me!" Natsu roared as he charged when Link got to the bottom step and Link froze then sighed while everyone looked at the Fire Dragon Slayer in shock or resignation.

"Take this!" Natsu roared as he cocked his right fist back while Link got off the final step calmly. "Karyu no-" He said and flames erupted around his right hand while Link Ex-Equipped his gloves to Requip his Silver Gauntlets and brought his right fist back as well. "TEKKEN!" Natsu roared as he punched out and Link blocked it with his own right straight.

"Uuuaaaahhhh!" Natsu yelled as he was quickly overpowered and blown back from the force of Link's punch. The green-clad mage disappeared in a flash of green then reappeared behind the still airborne Dragon Slayer and grabbed the back of his vest to throw him straight up. Most of the Guild just shook their heads as Natsu turned around in the air, the gleam in his eyes showing he wasn't done yet. "Karyu no-" Natsu said and inhaled deeply as he prepared his breath weapon but Link was a step ahead as he thrust his left hand out. "HOUKO!" Natsu roared right as he was ensnared in Link's spell, Nayru's Embrace. The result was a beautiful display of blue and purple lights that danced across the entire room.

"Heh, figured that's how it would go." Gray said with a smirk as he sat in front of a glass of ice water while the room erupted with laughter. "Pretty stupid of him to forget that spell, though." He added before he drained his glass and moved forward. "Oi! Link!" Gray called out and Link immediately looked in his direction then walked up to lock hands with him. "Welcome back to the mad house." He said and Link nodded his head with a grin before he was surrounded by the rest of the Guild.

"Welcome back!"

"How did it go?"

"Had to keep us guessing about what day you'd come back, didn't you?"

Everyone had something to say as they welcomed him back and his ears flicked as he offered an uncertain grin in the face of the overwhelming barrage before he blinked as Erza worked her way to the front. "Welcome back, Link." She said with a small smile that Link returned.

"I'm back." He said in reply then had to wince as everyone let out a loud cheer.

"HEY! LET ME OUT OF HERE!" Natsu roared indignantly as he beat against the crystal.

A few minutes later, Link, his regular gloves back in place, and Erza were sitting at the bar and enjoying another glass of milk when the doors suddenly slammed open; immediately grabbing everyone's attention. "Has Link shown up yet?" An equally grown Mirajane, dressed in a straining black tanktop, short shorts, and knee high boots, asked haughtily as she strode into the Guild Hall then stopped when she saw him at the bar. "Aha!" She said with a smirk as she pointed at him. "Are you ready?" She asked before her smirk became a glare. "It's time for you to finally man up and face the consequences of your actions." She said coldly and Erza sighed before she spun around hop off her stool.

"Why is it you cannot simply let what happened be?" She asked and Mirajane turned her glare on her. "The simple truth is that back then Link was skilled enough to hold us both back when he was without inhibitions due to the alcohol." Erza stated then offered a small sound of amusement as Mirajane's eyes all but glowed with outrage.

"It still bothers you both, doesn't it?" Link suddenly asked and quite a few mages looked at him in surprise, normally he didn't try to get between them when they started to go at it, while Erza jerked slightly at the accusation. "Very well." He said as he got off the stool and wiped himself off. "I'll fight both of you at the same time." He said firmly and that got looks of shock from everyone, including Mirajane and Erza.

Everyone, that is, except for Makarov; who rubbed his mustache with a curious expression on his face.

"Heh... hahahahahaha!" Mirajane suddenly burst into loud laughter as she grabbed her sides. "I didn't think… you could… joke like that." She choked out as her laughter slowly turned into giggles.

"He's not joking." Erza said but Mirajane just shook her head.

"Oh, of course he is." She said as she waved her right hand back and forth. "The very idea that I would want, let alone need, your help to make him pay couldn't be anything but a joke." Mirajane said while Erza's eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Link, what are you playing at?" Erza asked but Link remained silent. "It's not like you to provoke a fight like this, especially if you knew that I wouldn't team up with Mira in a spar against you." She said as Mirajane started to get her giggling under control.

"Are you sure you don't want to use this opportunity?" Link asked and Erza's look became questioning while Mirajane looked at him with amusement mixed with curiosity.

Lisanna suddenly let out a giggle, getting the attention of everyone around her. "People are supposed to give you presents when you come back as a welcome, but it seems you decided to give something as well." She said and Natsu looked at her curiously.

"What are you talking about, Lisanna?" Natsu asked before Laxus let out a bark of laughter.

"What's with this, Link?" Laxus asked as he looked down at him. "Playing favorites because you want to give your girlfriends a better chance at being selected?" He asked and all three of them blushed before glaring up at him angrily. _What the-! _He thought as his eyes widened slightly in surprise as their combined presence slammed into him before he offered a smirk. "Well, whatever." He said with a derisive chuckle before he cracked his neck then stood up. "Old man, I'm going on that job now." Laxus called out to Makarov then disappeared in a burst of electricity.

"Grrr..." Mirajane growled angrily as Erza's right hand tightened into a fist. Link, in comparison, closed his eyes and took a calming breath as he tried to banish his anger.

"Laxus is right, isn't he?" Lisanna asked then froze as Erza and Mirajane turned their glares on her. "He's not!" They both yelled and Lisanna leaned back slightly before giving a nervous grin. "I... I meant about giving you two a better chance at being selected." She said and that made them pause before they looked at Link.

"Heh... well, I can always beat Erza later in the Exam." Mirajane suddenly said with a wide smirk on her face as she put her right hand on her hip. "What do you say, Erza?" She asked as she looked at her long-standing rival and Erza returned the look before she offered a small smile.

"I suppose I can go along with this." Erza said and everyone in the Guild looked at each other with wide eyes as Mirajane gave a small laugh in reply. "However, if we were to fight here..." She trailed off as she looked around. "The Guild would be seriously damaged." Erza finished then turned her gaze to Link as almost everyone swallowed nervously. "Perhaps we should go to our usual sparring site?" She asked and Link nodded his head then looked back at Makarov.

"Master?" Link asked and Makarov slowly stood up on the bar then hopped down. Link nodded his head then looked back at Erza, who turned around to walk out the door with the three of them in tow.

The entire place was silent for several seconds after they had left when Natsu suddenly ran forward. "There's no way in hell I'm missing this!" He declared and everyone jerked in surprise before quickly piling out after him.

_**Large Meadow - Two Miles from Magnolia**_

Link stood twenty feet away from Erza and Mirajane as the two stood five feet apart from each other while Makarov stood between them; everyone else was one hundred feet away. "Are all three of you ready?" Makarov asked as looked at one side then the other.

"Satan Soul." Mirajane said and her smirk changed to an evil glare as magical power blasted from her in a quick wave that Erza ignored before her body began to change. Her delicate looking hands twisted then grew into large claws with scales that went just past her elbow while small fins sprouted from her forearms, her clothes shifting into a black leotard and knee high boots combination that revealed her stomach and ample cleavage. Her lips deepened in color until they were a dark purple as ashe grew a thick, scaled tail while dark purple markings appeared on her thighs and above her right breast. She brought her arms up and stretched them back before thrusting them out wide and a pair of leathery wings sprouted from her back as she assumed a wild battle stance. "Let's get this party started." She said as she glared at Link with a hint of a smirk on her lips.

"Requip!" Erza said firmly and her armor glowed before it was Ex-Equipped so that she could Requip a suit of black armor that covered her entire body; black spikes running up the arm and leg greaves and extending out from the shoulders and knees. She then held out her right hand and Requipped a large, black meat cleaver with four spikes going down its back. "Ready, Master." Erza said calmly while everyone looked on with wide eyes.

"Th-they're not gonna hold back..." Cana stammered out while Gray swallowed nervously.

"Mirajane's Satan Soul... and Erza's using the Purgatory Armor..." Macao said thoughtfully while Wakabe let loose a plume of smoke.

"Looks like Link's in for quite a beating." Wakabe said with a small sigh before he blinked when he saw Link not doing anything to prepare for the fight.

"I'm ready." Link said simply as he kept his easy stance.

"EHHHH? !" Everyone watching from the sidelines yelled in surprise while Erza's and Mirajane's eyes narrowed slightly. "Erza, I'm taking the first blow. It seems Link needs to be taught a lesson in arrogance." Mirajane growled out and Erza hesitated before she nodded her head.

_What is Link thinking? _Erza wondered then closed her eyes as she took a breath. _I need to calm down... Wait!_ Erza thought as her eyes snapped open in surprise. "Mira-!"

"Fight!" Makarov said then disappeared in a flash of light to reappear in front of everyone else.

"RAA-!" Mirajane started to roar as she burst towards Link before pausing in surprise as he also rushed at her to deliver a left straight, which she easily caught with her right palm. "Heh... is this all the strength an S-Class needs?" She asked and Link's eyes widened slightly before he punched desperately at her with his right hand, which she also caught. "Is this really all you've got?" She asked arrogantly then forced him down to his knees, his eyes closed as he strained against her, while almost everyone on the sidelines looked on in shock.

"Mira, look out!" Erza suddenly called out in warning but all Mirajane did was scoff before she paused as Link's eyes snapped open, his eyes now clear and determined.

Link Ex-Equipped his gloves, which left a slight gap between his hands and hers for a small instant, and Mirajane's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He then twisted his hands inside her guard to grab her wrists as her momentum brought her forward and jumped up as he was pushed further back while he Requipped his Silver Gauntlets. "Haa!" Link yelled as he slammed both feet into her face while he let go of her wrists to send her flying straight at Erza with a grunt of pain then flipped to land lightly on his feet.

Erza quickly avoided the living missile then charged in while Mirajane rolled in the air and then flapped her wings before flying back in with murder in her eyes. "Get out of my way!" She screamed but Erza ignored her as she slashed down at Link. He narrowly avoided the powerful slash by jumping to the left as it tore into the ground while the air swirled around the sword. Despite his dodge, he still received several small cuts on his right side and his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

_Just from the air pressure! _He thought before he jumped up to avoid Mirajane's rush and Erza's sidekick. His timing was perfect, or theirs flawed, for Erza's kick meant for Link instead connected solidly with Mirajane's face and sent her reeling.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mirajane demanded angrily as she recovered but Erza just returned her glare. "I knew teaming up with you was a mistake!" She declared as she took a step towards her before they both froze as a red light suddenly appeared in the sky.

The two of them looked up and their eyes widened in surprise as Link hovered in midair, his boots now showing a golden, winged trim, with a five foot wide red orb charged between his hands. "Hyaa!" Link yelled as he fired the orb at them and Erza's eyes tightened before she moved forward while pulling Mirajane behind her in order to take the brunt of the attack. Everyone on the sidelines covered their eyes as the orb erupted into a blast of fire thirty feet in diameter; the explosion sending out a wave of heat and wind. "Did that do it?" One of the mages asked as they waited for the smoke to clear. What was revealed made everyone's eyes widen in shock.

Erza stood calmly, now wearing the Flame Empress Armor; an armor set that consisted of a breastplate that resembled a one-piece bathing suit with a dark red and black flame design going down it and gold at the breasts and waists, dark red and gold arm greaves with a black cloth underneath, dark red and gold leg greaves with boots that resembled giant talons, and her hair up in pigtails. In her hands she held a broadsword with a dark red blade and golden hilt up in a double-handed high guard while Mirajane stood behind her with her arms crossed in front of her and her eyes wide as she looked at Erza in surprise. "So that's your plan, Link." Erza said and Link's ears flicked once before the golden trim disappeared from his boots to let him land lightly on the ground.

"What are you talking about?" Mirajane asked, once more calm as she brought her arms down while Erza relaxed her stance.

"Link cannot win against us two on one; he's just proven it." Erza answered confidently and everyone on the sidelines looked at each other curiously. "The first thing you did which should have tipped me off was not readying any weaponry or even a shield. Before you left, the three of us were at almost the same fighting level; you would never be arrogant enough to believe that you had become so strong in the intervening months to fight us like that in the first spar." She said as she glanced back at Mirajane for a second. "You knew that if you were to rush out and try to match the both of us in pure strength, you would be quickly overwhelmed. Instead, you chose to let it be taken as arrogance to blind us with anger-"

"And then you planned to fan that anger by using us to weaken each other, or at least distract us long enough for you to try and take us both out at once." Mirajane finished as she walked up beside Erza. "I should've known you would be too clever to try a head-on attack against both of us." She said then chuckled softly as she put her clawed hand on her hip. "This actually gives me a fun idea... would you give us a minute?" She asked and Link hesitated before he nodded his head in agreement.

Mirajane took a breath as she transformed back to normal then grabbed Erza by the shoulder as they both turned away from Link. While they talked, Erza suddenly jerked in surprise but otherwise didn't react, which made Link tilt his head curiously as he waited.

"Okay then, let's try this again." Mirajane said once they turned back around and Erza nodded her head before she Ex-Equipped the Fire Empress Armor and its sword to Requip her Flight Armor, which consisted of a cheetah-print bikini top, black short shorts with a belt that held a piece of cloth over her left leg, a cheetah-print shoulder guard, armored boots, cheetah-ear decorations in her hair, and purple stockings on her legs and arms; but no weapons. Link's ears flicked once at the armor before they once again went straight back then got into a defensive stance before he paused.

_Why isn't Mira-?_

"Welcome back, Link~" Both Erza and Mirajane declared with bright smiles and a wink as they both leaned forward while they brought their arms together to emphasize their cleavage and Link's eyes almost shot out of their sockets, a reaction shared by those on the sidelines, as his entire face went red while his ears went up. "Go." Mirajane suddenly said with her smile still in place and Erza exploded forward in a blur of motion while she Requipped two short swords with hilts designed to look like roses.

Link was only in the process of realizing that Erza had started to move when she appeared in front of him and unleashed a barrage of reverse grip slashes too fast for the human eye then ended with a strong kick to his stomach. "Uaaahh!" Link yelled in pain as he went flying back. _Need to get my guard back-!_

"I don't think so." Mirajane, now back in her demon form, said as she appeared above Link then punched down with a loud roar; which sent him slamming into the ground to create a twenty foot crater. "Don't think I'm done yet!" She yelled then pointed her hand down at the dust screen. "Yami no Kasui!" She yelled and a blast of dark magic shot down at the dust-filled crater; which resulted in a large explosion right as Link appeared forty feet away from it with a green flash.

Link brought his left hand out and Requipped the Gilded Sword but paused as his eyes went wide when thirty swords suddenly appeared over him and flew down at him at high speed. At the last possible second Link brought up Nayru's Love to defend against the assault and Erza's face tightened slightly as she looked on. "Still not fast enough..." She said as Mirajane landed next to her with a smile in place. "Mira, he's going to use this time to regain his bearings." She said then paused as Mirajane let out a small laugh.

"Link, did you think I had forgotten how often you used that spell to defend against me when I tried to get you to fight?" Mirajane asked before her smile changed into a glare. "I've been preparing a little something just for you." Magical power suddenly erupted from her as she brought her right leg back while she crouched over while she brought her hands together at her side. "Erza, keep him pinned." She said as a transparent sphere started to form in her hands.

Erza nodded then Ex-Equipped the Flight Armor and its swords to Requip the Heaven's Wheel Armor; which was comprised of a revealing bikini-style armored breastplate with feather-like designs that revealed her stomach, a long white skirt with armored plating that appeared to look like individual feathers that covered a pair of armored boots, an armored headband with a small wing at each temple, and two large metallic wings on her back. Immediately the swords that had been deflected rose up and started pelting at Nayru's Love repeatedly while the orb gained a darker color. Link's eyes narrowed before he suddenly rushed forward with Nayru's Love still active and both of his opponents looked at him in surprise. "Erza, did you-?"

"I've never seen him move with Nayru's Love active on his own power; he normally just uses it as a quick defense then drops it!" Erza answered before she could finish asking and her eyes narrowed slightly as she brought her swords to hover over her in a large circle in preparation for another attack.

"No matter." Mirajane suddenly said before her body shifted back slightly as the orb became a solid dark purple. "Reikon..." She said then grit her teeth as she thrust both hands forward. "INMETSU!" She roared and the orb erupted into a large blast of darkness over ten feet in diameter that slammed into Nayru's Love. Link's eyes went wide before they closed while he crossed his arms over his chest and he grit his teeth as the blast slowly started to push him back.

Erza watched in surprise as the speed that Link was pushed back began to increase before her eyes narrowed and she dashed to her right and forward to get a good angle for an attack. _Incredible... I've never seen Nayru's Love strained to this degree... _She thought before a cracking sound made her eyes widen a little.

Link's left eye cracked open at the sound, quickly followed by both eyes going wide as he saw Nayru's Love start to splinter against Mirajane's attack. _I-impossible! _Link thought in complete shock as he watched the cracks spread. _No one's breached Nayru's Love... not since... _His line of thought cut off as a dark-skinned face with burning, golden eyes flashed through his mind. _Even though it's taking most of her magical power... to do this goes past even what I thought she could do. _Link thought before his eyes narrowed again. _Bu__t... _

Everyone on the sidelines watched with wide eyes as they saw Link's formerly unbreakable defensive spell slowly break down under Mirajane's onslaught. "N-no way..." Gray stammered out as Nayru's Love, once a solid crystal, now seemed nothing more than fragile and weakened glass.

"Mira-nee's worked on that ever since Link left." Lisanna said, one of the only two who were watching calmly, the other being Makarov, and Natsu blinked then looked over at her as Happy looked up as well. "She refused to believe in a defense that couldn't be broken. She believed that all needed to do was bring enough magical power to bear and keep it applied long enough for the pressure to break it down." She said then gave a small giggle. "In a way, she's probably thought as much about Link's return as Erza has." She said before everyone's attention was recaptured by the sound Nayru's Love shattering.

Mirajane's face broke into a wide smirk before she froze as her eyes went wide when she noticed her blast not going any further. Rather, it seemed to be draining into something. _What the-?_

"Mira, stop your attack!" Erza yelled and Mirajane blinked before she decided that Erza's vantage point gave her a better grasp on what was going on and stopped her attack.

"Haa... haa..." Mirajane panted slightly at the exertion as sweat dripped from her face before her eyes widened in shock as she saw the last of her attack disappearing into Link's Mirror Shield, which had been Requipped to his right arm. "Shit!" She swore as she flexed her legs and wings in preparation to dodge as the shield flashed a dark purple when Erza suddenly dashed towards Link.

Erza's swords buzzed over as they rotated rapidly when Link suddenly shifted the shield to point at her; which made her eyes widen in alarm right as Link's ears flicked. "HYAAA!" Link roared and the large darkness blast that had overwhelmed him shot out towards her. Erza's eyes narrowed as the blast came in when she suddenly started to Ex-Equip the Heaven's Wheel and all the swords as she brought her arms up in a double parallel block. The blast was almost to her when suddenly a large magical shield appeared in its path, the result of Erza narrowly Requipping the Adamantine Armor in time; a full suit of spiked armor that had half of a large shield attached to each arm greave that linked up when her arms were brought together. Her brown eyes burned with determination as she stood firm against the blast while Mirajane flew in at Link to cut the attack short, her clawed hands flexing in anticipation.

Link's eyes switched over to track Mirajane while Erza was pinned and raised the Gilded Sword over his head while a red aura surrounded it. "Din's..." He said as a soft golden glow came from his under his left gauntlet and Mirajane's eyes widened slightly before she flapped her wings for a quick burst of speed. "Wrath!" He roared and the red aura exploded outward as it changed to a reddish-gold while he slashed down, sending a large wave of energy straight at Mirajane.

Mirajane flared her wings out as she brought her feet down to come to a halt and threw both hands out to catch blast. "GRAAAAAAGHHHH!" She roared as she was pushed back; her boots tearing up the ground as she fought to hold her ground for almost two dozen feet before she was finally able to hold firm.

"Mira!" Erza called out in alarm, though she didn't allow it to distract her from maintaining her defenses, but Mirajane just shot her a quick glare.

"Shut up and worry about yourself! I can manage something like this!" She shouted and Erza hesitated before she suddenly smiled.

"Of course, I was just worried because I thought how boring it would be to take the Exam without having to contend with you." Erza said and Mirajane's eyes widened slightly before she scoffed.

"As if you'd get in before me." She replied before they both returned their attention to Link.

Both blasts continued for several more seconds before the Mirror Shield completely expelled the stored magical power and Din's Wrath expended itself, leaving both Erza and Mirajane able to continue though their faces were covered by a light sheen of sweat. Mirajane looked down at her smoking hands as they trembled from the force of Link's attack before she snarled and forced them to go still. _How... how is he still able-_

A loud gasp from everyone on the sidelines brought her gaze back and her eyes went wide when she saw Link down on one knee, his face caked with sweat that dripped down onto the ground.

"Haa... haa... haa..." Link panted out heavily as he placed the tip of his sword into the ground and leaned against it slightly. _Too much at once... _He realized as he looked up with exhausted eyes at Erza and Mirajane. _Trying to keep up Nayru's Love against Mira's attack... then the last second Requip of the Mirror Shield... sending the attack back at Erza... then having to use Din's Wrath to try and take out Mira... and in the end it all failed... _Link thought before he suddenly gave a small sound of amusement, which made Erza and Mirajane look at him in surprise. "I knew it..." He said then paused as he slowly forced himself to his feet. "I can't... win this..." He panted out as he Ex-Equipped his Silver Gauntlets and Gilded Sword and Mirajane let out a small sigh. "But..." He continued as he Requipped the Golden Gauntlets and Master Sword. "Fairy Tail mages... don't give up... because of something like that..." He got out as he brought the Master Sword out behind him and shifted his stance to put the shield out defensively.

"Hmph... well said, Link." Erza said before her eyes narrowed as she Ex-Equipped the Adamantine Armor to Requip the Purgatory Armor and the its large meat cleaver-like sword.

"Let's finish him off with one last rush." Mirajane said and Erza nodded her head before they both paused as Link suddenly dropped his defensive stance to charge wildly towards them. "What the-!"

"Farore's Gale!" Link roared and a green aura erupted from him. He suddenly started to disappear and appear repeatedly in random intervals at such a high speed that several people on the sidelines lost track of him, seeing only an endless amount of green flashes that quickly reached Mirajane and Erza.

Both of them were suddenly on the defensive as they narrowly blocked or dodged a whirlwind of attacks that still managed to leave scratches on Mirajane or caused sparks as Erza's armor,both of them taking a beating if their defenses were penetrated. They endured the assault for close to a minute before both their eyes, which had started to move around quickly, suddenly locked at a space between them and five feet back. "GRRAAAAGHH!" "HAAAA!" Mirajane and Erza roared as they pivoted and dashed to that location; Erza leading with a powerful slice of her sword and Mirajane going into a spin to bring her armored tail to bear.

Link appeared right in front of their attacks and his eyes went wide before he brought the Master Sword up to block Erza's sword while positioning the Mirror Shield to take Mirajane's tail attack. Both attacks slammed into his guard and he was immediately blasted back to slam into the ground, creating a large ditch as the green aura disappeared. Link attempted to flip in order to steal some of the momentum but Erza and Mirajane were right there to grab hold of him; Erza pinning his sword arm while Mirajane grabbed his shield to jerk to the side and pin that arm to the ground as well.

Erza Ex-Equipped the black meat cleaver to Requip a broadsword that she placed in front of his throat while Mirajane held up a fist surrounded by dark magic, the two of them glaring down at him. Both of their breathing was a little heavy while Link panted deeply as he gulped in mouthfuls of air before he suddenly grinned. "I... lose..." He said as he Ex-Equipped the Master Sword and Mirror Shield and both of them blinked in surprise.

"Heh... heheh... hahahahahaha!" Mirajane suddenly burst into wild laughter as she moved back to sit down. "Just like that... jeez way to kill the tension." She said through her laughter as she changed back to normal and Erza also let out a chuckle as she Ex-Equipped the sword and Purgatory Armor to Requip her usual armor and skirt.

"Still, it was good to see what you're capable of." Erza said and Link gave a soft chuckle when they all paused as everyone on the sidelines let out a loud cheer while they charged towards them. "Come on, I'll help you up." She said as she offered Link her hand, which he gratefully took, before they both stopped as Mirajane stood up and offered him a hand as well.

"Don't get any ideas, this is because I don't want to hear any complaints from Lisanna about still holding what happened against you." She said and Link blinked then nodded his head as the two of them helped him to his feet, where he immediately stumbled forward. "Sheesh, first you challenge both of us and now you can't even keep your balance." Mirajane said with a sigh. "Are we sure this is really Link?" She asked Erza and Link looked at her crossly, which got a laugh from both of them before they were swarmed by everyone.

_**Fairy Tail Guild House**_

Link was walking under his own power, albeit a little shakily, as the Fairy Tail Guild House came into view while everyone walked down the street. "Man, that fight was incredible!" Natsu said again as he brought his fists up excitedly. "First the fire attack, then Mirajane actually breaking Nayru's Love-"

"Which reminds me." Gray suddenly spoke up as he glanced at Erza. "Please don't take this the wrong way..." He hesitated before he sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "But Mirajane's Reikon Inmetsu was able to shatter Link's defensive spell... is the Adamantine Armor really that much stronger?" He asked uncertainly but Erza just gave a soft chuckle.

"Nayru's Love is indeed a powerful defense, but it's meant to protect from every angle." She said then glanced over at Link. "Meanwhile, my Adamantine Armor is set to defend only the front which makes its defense from that position much stronger." Erza finished and Gray nodded his head thoughtfully.

"So it's a tradeoff, with one being more useful than the other in certain situations." Gray said and Erza nodded her head before she sighed.

"Gray... where are your clothes?" She asked and Gray blinked then looked down to see that he was only in his boxer shorts.

"Damnit, when did this happen? !" He yelled in surprise and everyone had a short laugh.

As they got closer, they saw Elfman standing in front of the Guild House with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. "Elf-nii!" Lisanna called out and Elfman's eyes opened up then widened further in surprise as he saw everyone walking towards him.

"Oi, what happened?" He called out as he walked over before he froze when he saw Mirajane covered in scratches and a few bruises. "Nee-chan, are you okay?" He yelled as he broke into a run and Mirajane offered a small sigh.

"I'm fine." She said as she waved her hand back and forth dismissively. "Link finally answered up, and as you can see he ended up on the worse end of it." She said with a grin that quickly faltered when Lisanna giggled.

"But Mira-nee, it wasn't really fair of you and Erza to do that to him." Lisanna said and Elfman blinked while Link's ears drooped as his face went red, but Mirajane just shrugged with a smile as she put her right hand on her hip.

"Hmph, not my fault he couldn't handle these." She said as she pointed at her chest and Elfman's eyes went wide.

"N-nee-chan... that's-"

"Besides, if his ears were any indication, which I've noticed they usually are, I don't think he particularly minded the view he was given." Mirajane cut Elfman off and Link's face turned a brighter shade of red while Erza gave a soft laugh; a small blush appearing on her cheeks as well. "Well, come on you two, let's go see if we can find a good job to wrap the week up." She said as she walked forward briskly, and her siblings blinked in surprise before hurrying after her before coming to a halt as she stopped to look back. "By the way, welcome back." She said and Link's ears twitched as he looked at her in mild surprise before he gave a small grin and nodded his head.

Everyone looked on in surprise as Mirajane turned to walk inside for several seconds before they started to go inside as well, soon leaving Erza and Link alone in front of the doors.

"Here," Erza suddenly said as she Requipped the Fairy Ocarina and held it for Link. "I kept it safe." She said with a smile and Link looked down at if for a few seconds then grinned.

"Let's get something to drink then head to our training site first." He said and Erza looked at him curiously. "I still have to see if you've been practicing with the ocarina as well." Erza blinked before she offered a small smile then Ex-Equipped the Fairy Ocarina.

They both locked eyes for several, long moments when Erza suddenly coughed and looked to the side. "Well then, let's go." She said and Link blinked before he gave a nervous grin and nodded his head in agreement before following her inside without another word; both of them showing a hint of unease in their eyes that they masked by the time the doors were closed. _His goal is to finish his task... I can't be selfish and get in the way of that... _Erza thought as her eyes hardened for a few seconds. _Besides... sooner or later... _She thought before she banished the thought as she shuddered slightly then looked back at Link. "Since you lost the fight, this time will be my treat." She said and he sighed in response before he nodded his head as the two close friends put aside their worries to simply enjoy what they currently had.

* * *

Yami no Kasui - Darkness Blast

Reikon Inmetsu - Soul Extinction

* * *

Okay... and that's the final one in this mini-arc. Next time I'll be picking up where I left off after the Phantom Lord incident.

I shall be putting small scenes of chibiness after some chapters, it will be random so there could chapters in a row that have it and then some might not; it depends on if one comes to me or not.

A little off topic, but I revamped the Prologue, something that I've felt like doing for a while, so if you're interested give it a read.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	29. The Strongest Team Is Formed

Quick Recap

Fairy Tail has fended off the assault from Phantom Lord despite the loss of their Guild House in a series of fierce battles that pitted some of their strongest mages against the best Phantom Lord had.

Gray, Fairy Tail's Ice-Make Mage, took on Juvia of the Deep, Phantom Lord's most powerful Water Mage. Despite prior injuries he had sustained from an old friend turned enemy, Lyon, Gray claimed victory in the fight; even unintentionally capturing Juvia's heart in the process.

Beast-Arm Elfman of Fairy Tail took on Sol of the Earth and came close to being defeated, but in the end claimed victory over the sadistic Earth Mage with the return of his Full Body Take-Over.

Salamander Natsu took on Aria of the Void, but was unable to pierce the latter's defenses and was saved by the timely interruption of both Maharathi Link and Erza the Titania, two of Fairy Tail's most powerful mages. Despite his loss, he quickly regained his fighting spirit and went on to challenge Kurogane Gajeel, Phantom Lord's own Iron Dragon Slayer and its second strongest mage after its Guild Master, Jose. After an intense fight, the Fire Dragon Slayer proved victorious, leaving only Jose left.

Jose, not only the Master of a Guild but also a member of the Ten Wizard Saints like Makarov, was confronted by the combined might of Link and Erza. Though the two were not at full fighting strength, they hardened their will and fought to protect their Guild. Despite their best efforts, it seemed they were no match for the sadistic mage as he held them both with only a moderate effort on his part.

A timely interruption from both Elfman and Gray turned the tide, however, and granted them the time and opportunity to set Jose up for something that not even he could defend against; a Unison Raid. Though it drained the last of their magical power, the display of magical power and teamwork dealt the final blow the Phantom Lord Guild Master; ending the Guild War and confirming Fairy Tail's title as the strongest Guild in Fiore.

All that's left now is to repair the damage done to their Guild.

* * *

Chapter Twenty Three

Lucy, dressed in a black, low cut tank top and denim mini skirt, let out a small sigh as she sat at the bar of the now partially reconstructed Guild House. "Man, this construction work isn't easy." She said as she rubbed her shoulders. All around the Guild, other people were sitting down to relax as well while Mirajane walked up to Lucy with her usual smile in place.

"It's good to see you decided to stay with us, Lucy." Mirajane said and the blonde mage froze before she let out another sigh.

"I still can't believe those guys broke into my house like that." Lucy said and Mirajane giggled softly. "Actually, what's worse is that I _can_ believe it." She added as she brought a hand to her forehead. "Even if they were worried, they should respect other people's privacy." Lucy's complaint got another giggle from Mirajane before she leaned forward.

"Well, I think Link was a bad influence on them in that regard." She confided and Lucy blinked before she looked at her incredulously. "Oh yes, Link's always had a bad habit of just entering people's homes without asking. But he's at least learned not to do that with people that aren't nakama." Mirajane said with a smile. "Besides, otherwise we never would have learned that Lucy is a princess." She added with a laugh and Lucy blushed before she gave an embarrassed smile.

"W-well, their reactions were kind of funny." Lucy admitted as she remembered the looks on their faces. "Well... except for Link." She added her expression changed to curiosity.

**_Heartfilia Mansion - Three Days Ago_**

_Lucy, dressed in a pair of black shorts and a white shirt, stood before a stone coffin with a large statue of a robed angel, its hands clasped in prayer over its chest, situated just behind it. Engraved upon the stone coffin were the following words:  
_

_Layla Heartfilia X748-X777  
_

_"Hello, Mother." Lucy said with a sad smile on her face. "Sorry I haven't visited you in a while... but you see, I ran away from home." She said as she looked down at her feet for a few seconds. "Oh, I joined a Mage's Guild!" She said with sudden excitement as she looked back up at the coffin with a wide smile. "In fact, I was able to get into Fairy Tail. You remember; the one from the Weekly Sorcerer that always got into trouble?" She asked with a laugh. "It's a really crazy place, but I've made some great friends." She said before her expression became troubled. "But Father... he used his money and caused some real trouble for them just to try and force me to come back." Lucy paused for a few seconds before her eyes became determined. "But don't worry, Mother, I didn't come back to give in, I just came to let him know once and for all how I'm going to live my life." She said firmly before her eyes softened again. "I probably won't be back for a while... look after Father, okay?" She asked before she turned around with a sad sigh.  
_

_"LUCY!" Three loud voices suddenly made her lock up in surprise; Natsu, Gray, and Lucy. Her jaw dropped as her eyes bugged out when she saw not only them, but Erza and Link racing toward her at high speed as well.  
_

_Happy slammed into her chest with tears in his eyes and she reflexively hugged him. The others were not far behind and though things were tense at first, Lucy was able to explain that the note they had read about her returning was just to warn her Father off against further action and to visit her Mother's grave; not that she was planning on leaving Fairy Tail for their protection.  
_

_They all looked at her in surprise before Natsu started stomping his foot angrily on the ground. "Damnit, that's all that was!" He roared angrily while Gray just sighed and put his right palm to his forehead.  
_

_Link brought his left hand to his mouth to contain a small chuckle while Erza burst into loud laughter at the misunderstanding. A laughter that Lucy quickly joined in with as Happy broke into a wide smile.  
_

_"I can't believe you guys!" Lucy scolded in half-anger, half-amusement later on as they walked back to the train station. Well, all of them but Happy, who was currently being carried in Lucy's arms.  
_

_"Well, we were worried." Natsu said unapologetically with his hands crossed behind his head. "Heh, Happy was even crying the entire way over here." He added with a teasing grin._

_"I was not!" Happy denied indignantly as he glared over at Natsu.  
_

_"I guess that's what we get for jumping to conclusions." Gray said; the white shirt he had on during his run towards Lucy somehow having disappeared. Lucy let out a sigh but didn't even bother bringing it up, she was sure that it had been blown away at this point. "Still, I've gotta say that this city is pretty big." He commented as he looked around.  
_

_"Ah... well..." Lucy said as let out an embarrassed smile. "This is actually just the garden." She said and they all paused before looking at her with confused expressions. "You see, my family actually owns all the land leading up to those mountains." She explained as she pointed at a mountain range several miles away.  
_

_None of them reacted for several seconds before Natsu and Gray suddenly snapped to attention. "Your Excellency!" Natsu said with an almost military air to him and Lucy blinked then looked at him in surprise.  
_

_"It's a true honor to know someone as humble as you." Gray said in the exact same tone and Lucy's eyes widened further while Happy broke away to fly around them.  
_

_"Natsu and Gray are down for the count." Happy declared then flew over to Erza. "Captain Erza, what are your thoughts?" He asked and Erza was silent for several, long seconds before she put her hands on her hips and looked up at the sky.  
_

_"The sky... is... blue..." She said almost in a trance and Happy's eyes bugged out of their sockets.  
_

_"We've lost the captain! Lieutenant Link!" Happy moved on before he and Lucy both froze when they saw Link just looking at her in mild surprise.  
_

_**Fairy Tail**__  
_

"Eh?" Mirajane asked with a confused expression on her face.

"Yeah, Link just kind of looked at me for a few seconds before looking out at the mountains." Lucy said before she closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmmm... if I had to place it... he seemed almost... nostalgic? Or maybe wistful?" She guessed uncertainly then reopened her eyes.

"Fufufu..." Mirajane suddenly giggled softly. "Maybe Link knows an actual princess and you reminded him of her." She said and Lucy paused before giggling as well.

"What, that also happens to have blonde hair?" Lucy asked and their giggling grew a little louder at the thought. They both calmed down after a couple of minutes and Lucy looked around curiously. "Is Master still at the Mage's Council?" She asked and Mirajane paused before she nodded her head.

"He is, but you just reminded me of something." Mirajane said then turned to face everyone as they relaxed. "Everyone! May I have your attention please?" She called out and everyone looked towards her. "As of today, we can now receive job requests again! Make sure you do your best!" She said with a wide smile and most of the Guild looked at her with wide eyes before charging forward.

"UHHOOOOO!" Came the loud cry as they rushed in at the Job Board with wide smiles. "WE HAVE JOBS! WE HAVE JOBS!" They chanted happily as they all swarmed around the Board and started looking at the various requests.

Lucy and Mirajane watched the commotion for a while before Lucy let out a small sigh. "What are they so excited for?" She asked as she shook her head. "All they ever do is drink and laze about anyways." She said with an amused grin and Mirajane laughed at the comment. "By the way..." Lucy said as her eyes became more focused. "I haven't seen Loke for a few days, I wonder what happened to him." She said as she tried to spot the orange-haired playboy Ring Mage in the crowd.

"Uh-oh, has Lucy finally fallen to Loke's charm?" Mirajane asked with a teasing smile.

Lucy blinked before turned an incredulous look on the white-haired beauty. "Of course not!" She said indignantly and Mirajane let out another giggle at her reaction. "It's just..." She trailed off before giving a sigh as she pulled out her set of Zodiac Keys. "It seems he found my keys... so I wanted to thank him." She said as she gently ran her fingers across the golden and silver keys.

Mirajane's face became more serious as she gave Lucy a nod. "If I see him, I'll make sure to pass on the message." She said before she tilted her head curiously. "By the way, are you sure it's a good idea to talk about? Aren't the Celestial Spirits still angry?" She asked and Lucy's body locked up.

"Ha ha..." The blonde laughed weakly as an image of an enraged blue-haired mermaid with a blue bikini top and golden circlet, Aquarius, came to her. "Angry... doesn't begin to cover it..." She said before she collapsed forward to rest her head against the bar counter as she grabbed her butt. "Just thinking about it makes my butt hurt." She whimpered and Mirajane gave her a sympathy-filled look.

"If your butt hurts, do you need me to cool it?" Gray asked as he walked over to them, his right hand up with a cold aura around it, and Lucy blushed slightly before she let out a sigh.

"Don't try to make it sound like you're being a gentleman, that's sexual harassment." She said primly.

"Lucy, let me see your red butt." Happy said with barely controlled laughter and Lucy's eyes went wide before she turned back to him.

"That is obviously sexual harassment!" She screamed angrily but Happy showed no sign of apologizing.

"Hey, I wonder what type of expression Lucy would make if I her butt hurt more?" Natsu asked Happy with an evil grin as he brought one flame-enshrouded hand up and Happy looked up at him with an agreeing smile.

"ARE YOU A DEVIL?" Lucy screamed angrily before jerking back in surprise as the Fire Dragon Slayer was suddenly smashed to the ground by a flying chair.

"I dare you to say that again!" Erza screamed angrily and all movement stopped as everyone looked to see her and Link glaring at a sitting Laxus, his black cape splayed out behind his chair.

"Fine then, let me put it in a way simple enough for you to understand." Laxus said with an arrogant smile. "This Guild doesn't need weak bastards." He declared with a demeaning chuckle and both Link's and Erza's eyes tightened angrily. "To be looked down on by a Guild like Phantom Lord... it's just too humiliating, I couldn't face anyone." He said with a mock-embarrassed shake of his head.

"Laxus is back?" Happy asked in surprise as Gray looked over in irritation.

"Bastard just mouths off as soon as he gets back." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

_Laxus... S-Class Laxus, who was able to knock even Link unconscious. _Lucy thought as she swallowed nervously.

Laxus let out a snort as the other two S-Class Mages glared at him before he looked around. "Ah, you're the ones I'm talking about." He said then gestured at a surprised Levy, Jet, and Droy. "I heard all three of you got the crap kicked out of you by Kurogane Gajeel. You're a disgrace!" He snapped then let out a laugh as they just looked down at the ground with defeated expressions.

"Bastard, you didn't even show up to fight." Erza said angrily but Laxus just waved his hand dismissively.

"Of course, that business had nothing to do with me." He said then stood up and stretched his arms. "But if I had... then we would have won easily." Laxus stated arrogantly then laughed loudly when Erza's eyes widened in rage as her right hand curled into a fist.

"Cowards should not talk about battles they hid from." Link said in his usual, quiet tone and all movement, even from an enraged Natsu, stopped as abruptly as Laxus's laughter.

"What... did you say?" Laxus asked, his arrogance now replaced with rage, as everyone but Erza looked at Link in surprise.

"I asked Mira if you or Mystogan had been contacted." Link went on as he walked closer to Laxus without concern. "Mystogan couldn't be found... but you were. When you were asked, what did you say?" He asked as his breathing deepened slightly while the tips of his ears started to tremble erratically.

Laxus seemed to take strength from Link's repressed anger and his smirk returned full strength. "I said that it wasn't my concern, which it wasn't. But, I agreed to help if just one of three conditions were met; I thought I was being pretty generous considering the circumstances." He said and Link's eyes twitched for a second. "The old man would retire and make me Master; if Lucy would become my woman; or if Cana would give me a little stri -!" Was as far as Laxus got before Link punched him square in the jaw, sending him flying back through several tables and chairs.

Everyone looked at Link in shock for his actions, so far removed from the usual calm and level-headed mage, before freezing as Laxus easily stood up, enraged. "How could someone as disgusting as you be in Fairy Tail?" Link asked as righteous fury blazed in his eyes and Laxus let out a growl as electricity started to discharge from his body. At that, everyone ran away as quick as they could just in time to give Laxus a clear field of fire.

"GRAAAAGGHH!" Laxus roared as he shot a large blast of lightning at Link.

Link brought his left leg back and squared his stance as he Requipped a brown staff with a spiral top and yellow spiral lines running down its length to both hands. The lightning slammed into the staff and sent several decent sized discharges out before being sucked into its length, causing the yellow lines to shine brightly. "The Staff of Raijin?" One person called out incredulously as the lightning finished being absorbed into the staff.

Laxus's eyes widened slightly before tightening again as the yellow lines let out a bright pulse of light. "GRAAAAGH!" He roared as he fired another blast of lightning.

"Hyaaa!" Link roared as the lightning the staff had absorbed shot back out to meet the second one when Erza suddenly jumped between the two as she Requipped a light blue and gold armor, the Lightning Empress Armor. The armor consisted of a light blue breastplate with golden wing designs on the front with a white, three-pronged skirt. On her shoulders were similar, separated shoulder pauldrons that each sported a large, spiked protrusion; a design shared by her gauntlets, though they had seven, smaller protrusions. Her leg greaves bore one large protrusion on each knee before going to down to form simple, though armored, boots with high heels. Her hair now had went down into a long braid and sported two, white ribbons by her ears. In her hands was a long spear with a large blade and a small, decorated shield attached to the shaft; another ribbon fluttering from the shield.

Erza slammed the butt of the spear down and a dome of blue electricity formed around her, which caught and held both blasts of lightning with no signs of strain. Both Link and Laxus looked at her in surprise for her interference, an expression she returned with an angry glare aimed at one then the other. "Enough," She said firmly and Laxus's glare returned while Link blinked couple of times as his ears flicked. "The Guild House is still being repaired, do you both wish to destroy all the hard work that's taken place?" She demanded and Link's eyes widened slightly before he looked around to take in the looks of fear from almost everyone there. Those that weren't afraid of the potential clash, such as Natsu, Gray, and a few others, were certainly tense as they looked on.

Link's ears drooped a couple of inches as his gaze fell to the ground before he took a deep breath to expel his anger as he Ex-Equipped the Staff of Raijin. "What's this, you're not going to fight because a woman tells you not to?" Laxus demanded angrily but Link just looked at him calmly, refusing to rise to the bait.

"Erza's right, the Guild is no condition for this." Link said and Laxus's scowl deepened as sighs of relief echoed around them. Then, without another word, Link turned around and walked towards the bar.

Laxus's eyes went with rage as Link turned his back on him while electricity started to discharge from his entire body. "Then I'll fight you!" Natsu suddenly roared as he leaped over Erza to come down at Laxus with a flame-enshrouded fist. Link quickly turned back as he and Erza looked on in surprise as Natsu came down at the large blonde.

"Buzz off." Laxus said as he thrust his right hand out to fire a blast of lightning.

Natsu was easily overpowered by the attack and sent flying back to slam into the ground at the far side of the Guild House. The Fire Dragon Slayer made a couple of weak attempts to get up, but his body's twitching thwarted all attempts and left him sprawling on the ground. "Kkk... damnit..." Natsu got out before freezing as Laxus let out a loud fit of arrogant laughter, his good mood suddenly restored. "Natsu!" Lucy cried out as she ran to his side, Link right beside her as they both knelt down.

"I think I've had it with this place for now." Laxus said as he turned around to walk away. "But remember this." He said as he glanced back with a manic smile. "If I succeed the Guild, I'll remove all the weak trash!" He warned before his gaze went to Erza then Link. "As well as all those who oppose me! I will build the strongest Guild in history! A Guild that no one will ever dare look down on!" He declared then resumed walking away as he burst into more arrogant laughter.

"D-d-damni-it..." Natsu growled out as he continued his attempts to get up before looking up at Link as he pulled a vial of a yellow looking liquid from his pouch. "Tch... I-I'll g-g-get h-him next t-ti-time." Natsu stammered out before opening his mouth to drink the liquid as Link poured it out.

"How's Natsu?" Erza asked as she walked up, back in her usual armor and skirt attire.

"I'm fine." Natsu said as his body stopped twitching and he immediately sat up with an irritated look on his face while Lucy let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey, what did Laxus mean if he inherited the Guild?" Lucy suddenly asked and the three mages looked at her. "Someone like him, he couldn't possibly be chosen as the next Guild Master, right?"

"Well, that's not exactly the case." Mirajane said as she walked over and Lucy immediately looked up at her curiously. "Because you see, Laxus is actually Master's flesh and blood grandson." She said and Lucy blinked before her jaw dropped in disbelief as she mentally compared the two of them. "So you see, the idea that Laxus could inherit the Guild isn't too far-fetched."

Lucy looked up at her incredulously before her gaze went to the ground. "But... I don't like that... for someone who looks at his nakama like he does to be the next Master." She said in a downtrodden tone before she looked up as Link suddenly stood up and dusted his shorts off.

"Well, it's nothing to be concerned about right now." Erza said as she stood up as well with Natsu and Lucy following suit. "I know, how about we all take up a job?" She asked, getting surprised looks from Natsu and Lucy while Link just looked at her curiously. "Gray should come as well." She added and at that Gray looked back in shock, now only wearing his boxers, while Link raised his right eyebrow questioningly. "Haven't any of you noticed?" She asked and Lucy, Gray, and Natsu looked at each with confused expressions. "All of us seem to keep gathering together, just like a team." She said then made a small sound of amusement. "How about we make it official, the six of us?" She asked and Lucy's eyes brightened happily as Happy soared into the air with a wide smile while Link just offered a small grin then nodded his head in agreement.

Natsu and Gray seemed less than thrilled at the idea and glared at each other warily. Link noticed their looks and walked closer to Mirajane to ask her something. Mirajane looked at him in surprise before she nodded her head with a bright smile and two of them walked over to the bar.

"With... with this guy..." Natsu and Gray both said warily as their eyes twitched.

"Is there a problem?" Erza asked as she looked at them and they immediately threw their arms over each other's shoulders.

"No problem!" They both said with wide smiles and Lucy giggled at their reaction.

"Amazing! With this Fairy Tail's Strongest Team truly is born!" Max said with an excited smile while others cheered.

"Wait... Lucy's... one of the strongest?" Jet said as he looked at his teammates in disbelief but Droy just shrugged his shoulders.

"If she were to summon Aquarius, I would have no chance of victory." Droy said simply and Levy gave a small giggle.

"You're probably right." She agreed, which got her a helpless look from Jet.

"Okay then, I have our first job right-" Erza started to say before pausing as Link cleared his throat while he walked back over.

"Erza, do you mind if I choose our team's first job?" Link asked with a small gleam in his eyes and Erza looked at him curiously before she looked at the others then nodded her head. The green-clad mage nodded his head in appreciation before he pulled a rolled up piece of paper that had been tucked behind his back. The other five gathered around him, Happy perched on Natsu's head, and looked down at the job he had chosen.

What they saw made their eyes go wide. The job in Link's hand was an S-Class Job, one with a reward for 15 million jewels.

"A-are you serious, Link?" Natsu asked as he looked back up at Link and got a nod of confirmation from him. "YES!" He said as he pumped his right fist into the air and Link winced as his ears twitched.

"I-I don't know about this..." Lucy said as Gray's face broke into a wide smirk.

"Hmph, well, it is only a Chimaera, so it shouldn't be too troublesome for all of us." Erza said with a confident smile and Lucy broke into a cold sweat before she sighed helplessly.

"Well, I guess since I agreed to join, there's nothing I can do." She said then looked over in surprise as Natsu clapped his hand on her shoulder.

"What do you mean? We'll finish this in no time and actually have an official S-Class under our belts!" He said with a wide smile and Lucy paused at his confidence before her face widened into a smile as well. "Come on! Let's go!" Natsu declared and Happy jumped into the air.

"Aye, Sir!"

* * *

Into the Past: Ocarina Lesson

**_Forest outside Magnolia - Eight Years Ago_**

Erza, in her usual armor, long-sleeved shirt, and long blue skirt, and Link, also in his usual green tunic, hat, and shorts, sat on a pair of stumps in a small clearing. Sweat dripped from their faces as they placed their short swords on the ground and Link pulled out a couple of water bottles from his pouch, one of which he tossed to Erza. "Thank you," Erza said before she opened it up to drink down the refreshing water and Link nodded his head before following suit.

Once they were done, they both screwed the cap back on and placed the bottles next to their short swords. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this." Erza said and Link nodded his head with a small grin of encouragement on his face.

It has been a little over two months since Link "arrived" at Fairy Tail and already he and Erza had accomplished four jobs successfully. It was an amazing feat, especially considering that most of the first month Link had been there he had to recover from his ordeal that had literally dropped him in the Guild from thin air.

While Makarov had yet to approve another demon subjugation job for the pair, the next two focused on capturing mages that used their magic for illegal activities, and their fourth had involved bringing down an elusive group of thirty bandits plaguing a small town. Now, the two were working on something that Link had noticed; Erza seemed to be reading her opponents' minds as she fought.

When he asked her how long she had been able to fight like that, she responded with confusion at what he was talking about. Link was only mildly surprised that she seemed to fight like that instinctively, but he then volunteered to show her how to hone that ability to a more useful degree. Though at first it had been a bit more difficult than Erza had believed it would be, she was proving to be a quick study.

"Hey, Link..." Erza started then trailed off as she looked at the ground uncertainly, something that Link found to be odd for the usually confident girl. "Do you remember when you first woke up after you crashed into the Guild?" She asked and Link cocked his head to the side as he looked at her curiously for a few seconds before he nodded his head. "That music you played... it was... beautiful." She said as a small blush came to her face.

Link offered a small smile in thanks but continued to look at her curiously, wondering why she was bringing it up. Erza noticed his expression and closed her eyes then took a deep breath. She let it out in one go then opened up her eyes to look at Link intently. "Would you be willing to teach me?" She asked and Link blinked in surprise.

"You want to learn... to play the ocarina?" He asked and Erza nodded her head once in confirmation. Link looked down at the ground for several moments before he reached into his pouch to pull out the Fairy Ocarina.

Erza looked at it with a mildly confused expression; she was sure the one he had used before was blue. She looked back up at him to ask him about it before freezing when she saw a deep sadness on his face, his ears down low. "L-Link?" Erza called out uncertainly and the young mage blinked his eyes as his ears twitched before he looked up at her in surprise.

"Sorry." Link said with a shake of his head. "I was... lost in thought." He said then looked down at the ocarina one more time. "Here," He extended his hand to offer her the ocarina after a few more seconds and Erza carefully took the instrument from him.

Erza looked down at it as Link pulled out the Ocarina of Time. "This is important to you, isn't it?" She asked and Link immediately froze as he started closing his pouch.

He stayed still for only a couple of seconds before he let out a sad sigh then finished closing the pouch. "It's a gift from a dear friend." Link said as he looked down at the Ocarina of Time.

"Thank you." Erza said and Link blinked before he looked back up at her. "I... have some idea of how hard it must be to let me use a gift from a close friend." She said then gave Link a happy smile. "Thank you." She said and after a few seconds Link offered a small smile in return as his face brightened a little.

**_Thirty Minutes Later_**

Link's ears fluttered rapidly as he closed his eyes against a loud screeching whistling sound that threatened to drive him insane. The sound was coming from the Fairy Ocarina as Erza blew into it. She quickly cut herself off as she heard the sound and looked down at the ground with a pout on her face. "What am I doing wrong?" She asked angrily as she continued to glare the ground.

It took Link almost a minute to recover from the assault on his ears, something that only darkened Erza's mood even more, before he was finally able to answer. "Too much force." Link explained and Erza looked up at him, her pout giving way to confusion. "Take a deep breath and hold it." He instructed and after looking at him for a few seconds to see if he was being serious, took a deep breath. "Now, do as I do." He said then took a deep breath then pursed his lips together and slowly exhaled.

Erza pursed her lips and slowly exhaled. When she was done she looked back at Link and he hopped up from his stump to walk over behind her. "Now bring the ocarina up as if you were about to play." He said and Erza immediately brought the instrument up to her lips. "Cover all the holes but the bottom left." He instructed and she quickly placed her fingers in the proper spots. "Now, exhale slowly into the mouthpiece." He said and Erza closed her eyes as she took a deep breath then placed her lips on the mouthpiece and carefully exhaled.

The result was a clear, crisp high note that made Erza's eyes go wide in surprise. When she was done, she brought the Fairy Ocarina from her mouth and looked down at it with wide eyes. "I... I did it." She said in wonder then looked up at Link. "I really did it." She said with a bright smile, the first he had seen from her, and his eyes widened slightly as her entire face seemed to glow.

Link was able to clear his mind after a short delay and gave her a congratulatory smile before he sat down on the ground next to the log then motioned for her to join him. "Now, for the rest of the notes." He said once she was sitting down and she nodded her head once as she listened attentively.

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	30. Campfire Curiosity

Chapter Twenty Four

Link, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy sat around the glow of a small campfire in a deep forest, the only source of light in the forest on a dark, cloudy night. Link was lounging up on a tree branch about eight feet from the fire with Erza resting her back against the same tree.

Natsu was sitting a couple of feet away from the fire next to Lucy, his legs crossed under him and his arms crossed over his chest. "Are you sure we can't keep going?" He asked as his right hand tapped against his left bicep anxiously.

Lucy sighed as she looked over at him before pausing as Happy, lying next to Natsu, let out a loud snore. "Natsu, it's late and we need to rest up if we're going to do an S-Class Job." She said with a hint of exasperation in her tone.

"Calm down, you idiot." Gray threw in then covered his mouth with his right hand as he yawned. The ice mage was on the opposite side of the fire of the three lying on his left side, a discarded red shirt a few inches from him, when he suddenly turned to lie on his back. "That Chimaera's not going anywhere, and just charging in there when I'm tired doesn't seem like a good idea to me." He said as he put his hands under his head and closed his eyes.

Erza made a small sound of amusement that got everyone's attention but she just waved her right hand dismissively. "Nothing, it's just you three reminded me of Link's impatience on our first job." She said and the green mage glanced down at her. "Am I wrong?" She asked as she looked up at him with an arched eyebrow. Link hesitated before he sighed and shook his head, which got a giggle of amusement from Lucy.

"Hey, Link, can I ask you something?" Lucy asked and Link looked over at her. "Would you mind telling me something about Hyrule? I've never heard of it before." She said and he blinked in surprise.

Natsu looked at Lucy for a second before turning a wide grin on Link. "Yeah, let's hear something about Hyrule." Natsu put in while Gray sat up to look at Link.

"If it quiets down the hothead, I'm all for it." The ice mage said with a grin. "Besides, now I'm kind of curious about this place myself."

Link was silent for a few moments before he nodded his head in agreement. He launched up from his sitting position on the branch to lightly land to the right of Natsu, Lucy, and Happy while Erza walked over to sit across from him. Everyone waited for him to start, but he was silent for several minutes as he stared into the flames. "I'm not sure where to start." He eventually said as he looked up and Natsu, Gray, and Lucy paused as they tried to think of a question.

"How about Kokiri Village?" Erza asked and Link blinked as his ears flicked in surprise. That surprise quickly faded as he looked up at the canopy above them and a small, wistful smile came to him; taking the other three by surprise.

"It would fit our surroundings." Link admitted as he looked back at them and their looks became attentive. "Kokiri Village... is a small village located within a large forest." He said then paused as his eyes lost focus. The others didn't have a long wait before Link shook his head to return himself to the present. "Kokiri Village is a bit different from other villages in many ways, but the biggest difference is that there are no adults." Link offered a small grin at the surprise on everyone's faces before he nodded his head. "All the children call themselves the Kokiri, and they normally keep themselves hidden from others."

Lucy opened her mouth to ask a question before she hesitated uncertainly. Link, however, noticed the movement and looked at her inquisitively. "Um... well, if there are no adults, then does that mean... well..." Lucy trailed off as she looked away from him uneasily. At this point everyone else, except for the still sleeping Happy, was now looking at her, and she gave a small sigh before she looked back at Link once more. "How did you get there?" She asked and Link looked at her for a short while then looked down at the dancing flames in front of him.

Link didn't answer for a few moments before he suddenly looked back up at them. "I didn't know myself for a long time; I was just always there." He said somberly and all three remained silent, Lucy even holding her breath, believing that they had some idea of what was coming. "When I was born, Hyrule was engulfed in a great civil war. With no real end in sight, my mother fled to the Lost Woods; an enchanted forest that had been somehow untouched throughout the entire war." Link said then paused for a few moments. "However, she had been gravely injured during her flight and died hours after entering the Woods." Lucy's hands went her mouth in horror. Natsu and Gray looked to the side as their eyes tightened in anger while Erza closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Link... I-" Lucy started to apologize then stopped as he held up one hand and just looked at her.

"As I said, I myself don't recall this event." Link said with only a small hint of regret reflected in his eyes. There was silence for almost a full minute after that, no one really knowing what to say, before Link cleared his throat to pick up his narrative. "Though there were no adults in Kokiri Village, it did have a guardian; the Great Deku Tree." He said and a smile came to him as his eyes filled with a mixture of the respect and awe conveyed in his tone. Unnoticed by the others, Erza's eyes widened slightly as she recalled Link mentioning the same figure in his drunken sleep.

"Hey, when you say "Great Deku Tree"... is that just a title or an actual tree?" Gray asked and Lucy let out a sigh.

"It couldn't possibly be an actual tree." She said with exasperation before everyone froze as Link simply nodded his head. "That's impossible!" She screamed in disbelief and Link immediately winced as his ears flicked a couple of times at the sudden volume.

"Lucy, you're too loud." Happy mumbled sleepily as he rubbed his eyes, the scream dragging him from pleasant dreams of fish, and everyone looked down at him. "Why's everyone still awake?" He asked with a yawn as he looked around with tired curiosity.

"Link's telling us a little about Hyrule." Natsu said with a wide grin and Happy's eyes immediately went wide as he jumped to his feet.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" He demanded angrily before he looked over at and pointed a finger at the green mage. "Link, I have a question about Hyrule!" He said as he stood up and Link tilted his head curiously as he looked down at the blue cat. "Are there lots of fish?" He asked and Link blinked while Lucy and Gray looked down at him in disbelief. Erza simply shook her head while Natsu chuckled and put a hand on top of Happy's head. Happy remained serious, though, as he continued to look at Link. It took him only a couple of seconds to shake off his surprise at Happy's question before he grinned and nodded his head, to which Happy gave a wide smile. "I wanna hear a story about fish." He said as he pumped both paws into the air.

"He's already telling us about a place called Kokiri Village." Lucy said firmly as she looked down at Happy. "Besides, I doubt any stories that involve fish would be very interesting." She sighed out as she waved one hand back and forth. Link's ears gave a small, barely noticeable twitch that only Erza noticed.

"Can we stay focused?" Gray asked as he looked at the two in mild annoyance. "I'd kind of like to get _some _sleep before tomorrow." He said with an exasperated sigh before he looked back at Link. "Besides, the only thing Link does is downplay events; I think it's impossible for him to exaggerate." The ice mage said before he suddenly chuckled. "This guy could probably fight a Dark Mage like Zeref and never mention it again." He said and Natsu laughed in agreement.

Link coughed softly into his hand to get everyone's attention, the action disguising another small twitch of his ears, then looked at them all curiously. "Go ahead, Link." Erza said before she sent a glare at the others. "There will be no more interruptions." She said coldly and they all locked up before they gulped nervously and nodded their heads vigorously in agreement.

Link chuckled quietly for a few seconds then reached into his pouch to pull out a Light Pen. He stood up and quickly started to draw in the air, the light changing from green to brown then back to green, and after a couple of minutes he put the Light Pen away as he sat back down. There, hanging in midair, was a rough sketch of a mustachioed, large tree with massive eyebrows next to a small, green figure. "That's me next to the Great Deku Tree." Link said once he was sitting comfortably.

Everyone looked at the drawing in awe as they realized just how large the mighty tree must be. From what they could tell, it looked as if it was easily the largest tree they had ever heard of; its size venturing further towards mountains.

"The Great Deku Tree... I suppose Master is a lot like him; kind yet stern when he needed, and if you ever got him mad..." He trailed off as he shuddered while his ears drooped a few centimeters.

"Yep, sounds like Jii-chan." Natsu agreed with a short bark of laughter while Gray chuckled.

"The village wasn't that large, only about a dozen and a half Kokiri lived there." Link continued on then paused as his eyes went distant again. "The Great Deku Tree kept all evil from entering Kokiri Village, but we would also regularly explore the forest surrounding us and run into the occasional fight with random creatures here and there. Myself and a few other boys took it upon ourselves to protect everyone, but the village only had one true blade... the Kokiri Sword, which only the best swordsman was allowed to wield."

"It was you, right?" Natsu asked as he leaned forward eagerly and Link paused before he shook his head. Lucy and Gray looked at Link in surprise as Happy's and Natsu's mouths nearly hit the dirt. "Wha-... bu-... you-"

Link brought a hand up to stop Natsu's stuttering, which took several seconds before the Dragonslayer even noticed the movement. "The sword was wielded by Mido, who also used his strength to be the Kokiri Boss." Erza, Gray, Happy, and Natsu all grinned at each other before they turned their smiles on him.

"Which means you two didn't get along very well, did you?" Erza asked and Link blinked before he looked to the side as his ears twitched a couple of times. "How often did you fight?" She asked as her smirk widened; she knew her guess had been dead on.

"Like Natsu and Gray." Link admitted and everyone looked at him in surprise. "He was a bully, forcing others to do stuff for him now and then, and I would constantly fight with him... and would constantly lose." He said and this time even Erza looked at him in surprise. "But... he also made sure that everyone was safe and, for the most part, happy." He added as his eyes once again went as he recalled life in Kokiri Village. "If I were to describe Kokiri Village in one word... it would be paradise." He said softly, his eyes retaining that distant expression. "There were small troubles here and there, but the Great Deku Tree kept the stronger monsters and beasts far away from the village so there was rarely any true danger to be found." Link suddenly gave a small sigh as he closed his eyes.

"Why did you leave?" Erza asked softly, the same question on everyone's mind, but Link didn't answer for several minutes.

"M-maybe we should get some sle-" Lucy started to suggest before she froze when Link's eyes suddenly opened.

"A while before I left... I had started thinking about the outside world." Link said, his ears kept straight back. "One day, the Great Deku Tree summoned me and put me through a trial; with the condition that I could go and adventure with his blessing should I pass." He said then stopped talking again as his eyes went distant once again.

"What was the test?" Natsu leaned forward curiously when Link had stayed silent for half a minute.

"I was to face Gohma, a giant bug-like monster with one eye." He answered immediately as he leaned towards the flames. "It was... difficult, but in the end I passed the test." Link said, his eyes showing a deep sadness that his slightly lowered ears echoed.

"Then why the long face?" Gray asked and Link blinked in surprise before he looked up to see all of them looking at him in concern.

Link offered a small, reassuring grin as he mentally shook himself. "It's been some time since I've seen the village." He offered and their looks turned sympathetic.

"Link, I-" Lucy started to say before stopping when Link suddenly jumped up and landed back on the tree branch he had been lying on before. Without another word he adjusted his cap to cover his eyes and was quickly asleep.

Everyone looked up at him for a few moments before Erza let out a sigh. "Link's right, we should get some sleep." She said as she stood back up. "A single Chimaera will not be too much trouble for all of us, but we still can't afford to be careless or tired when we face it." Erza waited till everyone nodded their heads in agreement then went back to sit against the tree Link had fallen asleep in.

Or at least that's the way it appeared.

For as the others got ready to sleep, Lucy looking uneasy with in her belief she had brought up unhappy memories, Link was indeed awake and thinking. What was going through his mind was the Great Deku Tree the day he had left; petrified from a curse that had claimed the mighty being's life. Right on its heels, though, came an image of a certain sapling as tall as he him, and a small smile came to him before he shifted on the branch. _What's happened to everyone since I've been gone? _He asked himself, something that had bothered him since he had wound up in Fiore.

_**Chamber of Sages**_

In the middle of a vast chamber, a corpulent, elderly man dressed in flowing orange robes with a red cloth draped down its center sat with his eyes closed. The chamber was one of a kind, containing only a twenty food wide platform that floated in the air and completely silent.

Rauru, the Sage of Light, made no sounds as he kept his pose, meditating as he slowly breathed to keep his mind calm. For one who had lived as long and learned as much as the Ancient Sage had, this meditative pose had become second nature to him, something as easy as other people found walking. Despite his outward calm, however, he was in the process of searching the cosmos for a particular life force.

_Where did your actions send you, Hero of Time? _Rauru wondered, a question that continued to occasionally rise up through his focus despite the vast number of times he had asked it.

Something else that would rise up in his mind was the argument about how to find the Hero. At that, Rauru's brow twitched slightly and his divided focus almost vanished; but just as quickly he was in control again as he continued his search.

After Link defeated Ganon and the Sages had sealed him, Rauru had been too drained to see Ganondorf's attempt to bring Link to his banishment. It had only been after the Sages arrived with beaten expressions with Navi in tow did he suspect something had gone wrong.

Zelda had been the one to explain what happened, tears running down her face, while the others remained silent. There were few times since he had become a Sage that Rauru felt true shock go through his body, but hearing what had happened to Link after his victory certainly brought the old feeling back.

What Rauru said next sent a shock through the Sages as well as Navi.

_"I shall begin searching for him." Rauru said as he stood tall before them. The Sealing had drained him of almost all his remaining energy, but he had been in the Chamber long enough to start renewing his power. _

_"Y-you can find him?" Zelda asked as wiped at the tears that had been flowing down her face and Ruto did the same, while Saria had completely forgotten about them in light of Rauru's statement. Nabooru and Impa, both highly experienced warriors and lacking the feelings for Link as the other three, simply looked at Rauru with clear and focused eyes. Darunia looked at him with a dumbfounded expression while Navi, who had been sitting on Saria's shoulder, fluttered her wings several times.  
_

_Rauru nodded his head then swept both arms out to encompass the room they stood in. "Within this Chamber, a learned Sage can search out the entire cosmos to seek out new knowledge." Rauru said then paused for a moment. "But there are many factors to take into account." He stated calmly. "For one, he is one being in a vast sea of life and I know not which planet, which dimension, or even which plane of existence he might be." He explained then paused for a moment before giving a deep sigh. "Also, given the extent of his injuries-"  
_

_"My Sworn Brother is alive." Darunia interrupted as his eyes narrowed angrily. "After all he's fought; he wouldn't fall to wounds after he won." He added simply as he crossed his massive arms over his broad chest. "I will help." He said firmly but Rauru immediately shook his head._

_"No, you and the others shall return to the Temples, the balance of Hyrule must be restored." Rauru said then turned his gaze to Zelda. "You will be needed to lead Hyrule back to peace." He continued and immediately Darunia, Ruto, Saria, and Zelda opened their mouths to argue._

_"QUIET!" Navi suddenly yelled as she shot violently into the air and everyone froze. "Rauru, you... can you really find Link?" She asked and Rauru looked up at her then nodded his head. "Then everyone stop distracting him right now." She said, no, _ordered_ and everyone twitched in surprise. "Link put everything on the line for Hyrule to know peace again; I will _NOT _let any of you let it go to waste." She said with a tone that would brook no argument and everyone's gaze slid away from the blue ball of light._

_"Navi's right, everyone shall return to their Temple and begin restoring the balance." Zelda said as she brought her gaze up, her eyes now clear and firm. "Rauru, first you shall regain all your power and ensure things are progressing smoothly. After that, begin your search for Link." Darunia and Ruto both stepped forward to protest but froze as Zelda fixed them with a hard glare. "Rauru, will you keep searching for Link until you find him?" She asked and the Sage of Light nodded his head calmly. "Then I will not let the first thing he sees upon his arrival is the Sages failing to restore the balance he fought to restore as we... failed to save him as he had saved all of us." Zelda faltered slightly at the end, but her gaze and bearing remained strong and had both Fire and Water Sage looking down in submission to her logic._

The memory came and went and Rauru almost offered a slight sigh at how things had almost turned out. Then it was gone once more, and his entire focus returned to locating the boy... no, _young man _that had changed everything with his unbreakable will.

* * *

Into the Past: Demon's Arrival

Link and Erza walked side by side down the streets of Magnolia, returning from yet another successful Demon Subjugation. Erza was wearing a steel breastplate over a long sleeved white shirt with a red tie and a long, tan skirt over black stockings. Her hair was done up in a single pony tail and she had a saber sheathed on her left hip. Link was in his usual green tunic and shorts, his Hylian Shield, not quite so bulky on him but still a bit large for his frame, and Kokiri Sword on his back.

Two years had passed since Link's arrival, and the two of them had tackled every kind of job short of the S-Class. With the startling growth of not just their strength but also skill and strategic abilities, it was accepted by just about the entire Guild that one day both of them would S-Class Mages.

Of course, that didn't do anything to lessen Erza's recriminations of Link when he did something she considered foolhardy.

"You stood there and let all the Fungekis focus their attacks on you." She scolded for what Link guessed to be the twentieth time since the job had been completed. "If you say, 'it worked', I will shove the next glass of milk down your throat." Erza added as Link started to open his mouth and he immediately closed his mouth again.

"You're upset because I get to pay." He said instead after a couple of seconds and Erza's entire body locked up before she turned a glare on him. He killed the urge to offer a small grin at the tell, but his amusement could be easily seen in his eyes and the slight flicker of his ears that accompanied it. "You did something equally stupid on the last job." He pointed out as he saw the ire begin to grow in her eyes and that made her pause before she let out a sigh.

"Well, at least you didn't get eaten this time." Erza said and Link's eyes immediately narrowed as he glared at her.

It only lasted for a moment, though, before both of them let out quick chuckles as they walked up to the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. "I didn't think it a risk." Link as they came up to the door and Erza glanced over to him looking at her warmly.

"Of course not." She said as her eyes grew warm as well before a sudden crashing inside the Guild Hall drew their attention. The two of them quickly went in just in time for Gray to go flying out, saving him from hitting the door instead, and quickly grabbed one leg each then carefully caught him. "Gray, what-?" Erza started to ask before a loud, crass laugh cut her off.

"Any more challengers?" A young woman with long, white hair in a ponytail and dressed in a black halter top, short shorts, and long black boots asked as she stood on a table with her hands on her hips.

"Mira-nee, this is our first day." A young girl with short, white hair in a pink dress complained to the older girl.

"Nee-chan, please calm down." A tall young man with combed down, white hair in a blue suit added and she looked down at them then sighed.

"Well, I guess there's no else willing to fight any-"

"You said you were looking for challengers?" Erza asked with a dangerous glint in her eyes as she stepped forward and Link's eyes immediately started to widen.

Mirajane's cocky gaze immediately went to her and offered another arrogant grin. "Well now, just you? Or how about making it challenging with you and the blonde fighting me at the same time?" She asked but Link immediately got in front of her Erza and put both hands on her shoulders, turning his back to the newcomer.

"Link, move." Erza said simply but he just shook his head. Or at least he started to before Erza quickly pushed him to the side even he though he had gotten ready to dodge Mirajane's sudden charge. The red head then caught Mirajane's punch in her left hand, catching the other by surprise, then retaliated with a right hook that sent her flying back.

Mirajane was far from out though, as she spun in midair to land on her feet; though she did skid for a few feet before she finally stopped. Her arrogance was gone, however, and replaced by disbelieving anger. "Care to try again?" Erza asked with a small, confident smirk and Mirajane exploded forward again.

This time Erza was taken by surprise as Mirajane's unthinking charge turned into a clever feint, with her first punch followed up with a highly flexible kick up into her jaw that sent her into the air. Mirajane jumped up, her arrogant smirk back, to deliver the finishing blow but ended up flying back as Erza returned the favor with a sweeping kick to the side of her face that sent her crashing to the ground. Erza's face twisted with anger as she landed on the ground and immediately launched at Mirajane.

What followed was a brawl that sent them through several more tables and benches, causing other guild members to jump out of the way, and caused Makarov to open his eyes and sigh over his mug of beer. This went on for several minutes, during which Link had just decided to let them fight it out and gone to the bar.

"Everything go okay?" Makarov asked as he glanced over at Link and got a nod of confirmation. "You fought a pack of Fungekis with no injuries?" He asked with a bit of surprise, ignoring the next crash, and this time Link shook his head.

"Antidote from Porlyusica before the job." Link said then his ears flicked as another crash sounded behind him.

Makarov chocked on his next pull of beer but restrained from spitting it out as he slammed his fist against his chest. "H-how did you get Porlyusica to help you?" He asked incredulously once he had regained control of himself. Link looked at him with a confused expression before two explosions of magical power got their attention.

Erza and Mirajane stood ten feet away from each other, Erza now in her recently acquired Blackwing Armor and Mirajane looking more demon than human.

"Ah hell, that's Take Over Magic!" Macao said as he slammed his palm on his forehead. "That kid's already mastered Demon Soul!"

There was a sudden green flash as the two of them launched at each other and then Link was in between them. Nayru's Love came up an instant later to absorb the blow, Link's eyes narrowing slightly at the strain. Despite the pull on his concentration, he was able to send Erza a glare that snapped her to her senses.

"Mira-nee, that enough!" Lisanna yelled as she ran forward and Mirajane blinked then looked back at her younger sister in surprise.

"I prefer that fighting doesn't escalate to using magic inside the Guild Hall." Makarov said as he looked over at them, still sitting comfortably on the bar with his mug in his hand.

Erza winced as she Requipped to her usual attire then stood at attention, which quickly turned into a formal bow. "Apologies, Master." She said as her cheeks brightened a shade with embarrassment.

Mirajane's cheeks also brightened slightly but she merely crossed her arms and looked to the side in disgruntlement. An attitude that lasted until Lisanna poked her elbow, making Mirajane look over to see her unyielding glare. At that the elder Strauss sibling capitulated with a sigh and brought her arms up in a shrug. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry and I won't use magic in here like that again." Erza snapped a glare over at her but Makarov just smiled widely and nodded his head.

Link came over and put a hand on Erza's shoulder. She didn't look over at him but let out a sigh of understanding as she stood straight again as Lisanna walked over.

"Hello, I'm Lisanna Strauss." Lisanna introduced and both of them looked down at her. "This is my big brother, Elfman, and you've already met my big sister, Mirajane." She said and Elfman rubbed the back of his head bashfully as he nodded toward them while Mirajane just looked away with a loud "harrumph".

"It's nice to meet you and your brother, Lisanna." Erza said, pointedly leaving Mirajane out; a fact that no one around them missed. "I am Erza Scarlet, and this is Link Kokiri." She said as she introduced herself and the silent mage with a sweep of her arm.

Link then surprised Erza, and just about everyone else in the Guild Hall, as he stepped forward to shake her hand. "Welcome to Fairy Tail." He said and Lisanna's smile brightened while Elfman's nervous grin became a true one. Mirajane's right eyebrow cocked slightly at his warm tone before she locked eyes with Erza again.

"It certainly promises to be an interesting place." Mirajane said with a smirk that Erza matched. The both of them knew that someday they were to settle the match that Link had interrupted.

* * *

I would like to apologize for the long delay on this. Ship schedule going hectic and all that fun stuff.

Okay, with that out of the way I'm gonna answer some of the anonymous reviewers.

**masterbow - some one suggested that an age ward having trouble with link i like that idea seeing as link traveled back and forwards through time sevral times trying to save hyrule it might take each trip as an extra 7 years so its says he like 50 something**

A fun idea, I'll run it against the current scenario in my head and see which one I like better. No promises, though.

**toplessrobot - go to google and type in screw attack death battle they just did a show link vs cloud it may give you some ideas aslo have you thought about link being almost out of magic and him using the master sword to gather energy and perform the skyward strike**

Thank you for directing me there, gave me some more fun things to try with Link.

**Wintersmith - I've just read through this story in day, its really good you have captured Link perfectly and his being in Fairy Tail as a lot of cool effects on there story. I was thinking because Lucy wants to write a book you could use that as a plot point for Link. As Link has no way of knowing if hes going to make it back home or if he going to die he would have thought ahead. I think he could have written down his story just in case, only to be read in the case he leaves, disappers, or dies. That way if he goes back to Hyrule his friends would know why he had to go and if he dies his friends will know what to do if someone from Hyrule shows up. During the interview story you should say how Links never done one before and get the interviewer to guilt him into it by saying he will get fired if he doesn't get an interview.**

Not sure about the interview, but the idea about a book does give me an idea for an Into the Past for another chapter.

**masterbow - If you need a triforce spell for Nayru why not do a kind thunder strike, seeing as the dragon thats hers in skyward sword is the thunder dragon. Link holds is sword up in the air and while saying the spell shoots magical energy into the sky, like in a real thunder storm the static energy shoots up into the sky creating the imbalance that creates the lightning then the lightning comes down hits links sword and he shoots it at something. You can call it Nayru's law.**

Unfortunately I already have a spell set up called Nayru's Law, but I'm definitely going to utilize this.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	31. Fire and Lighting and Acid Oh my!

Quick Recap

Link, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy have decided to form a team and Link has chosen their first Job; an S-Class that has them taking on a Chimaera, a monstrous creature with the strength to level a village on its own.

On their way to the client, Lucy suddenly asked Link if he would mind telling them something about Hyrule, a suggestion that the others quickly backed. Link agreed but wasn't sure what to talk about, at which point Erza suggested Kokiri Village; a name he had brought up during his drunken rampage against Laxus.

After he told them about the village, he gave them an edited version of when he first left but sank into a mild depression as he remembered the death of the Great Deku Tree. He retreated from the storytelling and jumped up into a tree to fall asleep before his spirits raised again as he recalled the Deku Tree Sprout. As his mind drifted to sleep, he wondered how everyone was doing, unaware that the Sage of Light, Rauru, was wondering the same thing as he searched for missing Hero of Time.

* * *

Chapter Twenty Five

The next afternoon, Link and company came up to a large mansion protected by a fifteen foot wall topped by spikes. An artfully crafted and elegant gate stood barring the main entrance to the mansion, but a large hole in the wall twenty feet away from it showed that someone or something had decided to make its own entrance. A small part of the mansion on that same side had been damaged, but most of the damage seemed to be focused on the grounds in front of it.

Lucy couldn't restrain a shudder of fear as she saw the deep gouges left in the ground as they walked through the hole in the wall and up to the mansion's front door. _It looks like a tornado tore through here. _She thought before looking over as Natsu put a hand on her shoulder and offered a wide grin.

"This looks like it'll be fun." He said and Lucy's jaw dropped as she looked at him in shock.

"Are you crazy?" She demanded angrily, barely remembering not to scream at the last second. "Look at what this thing did!" She exclaimed as she gestured at all the damage.

Natsu's smile, however, just got wider with a feral hint to it. "Exactly. I can't wait to fight it!" He declared as he slammed his right fist into his left palm.

"First let's get all the details we can." Erza said and Natsu nodded as he put his hands behind his head.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He said right as they got up to the door.

Erza knocked twice on the door and almost immediately the door opened to show a face that Link immediately recognized.

Butler looked at the group in front of him and surprise flashed in his brown eyes for a brief instant before it disappeared again. "Greetings, Link. I assume you're here for the job regarding the Chimaera?" He asked and Link nodded his head as Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy looked between the two.

"You two know each other?" Gray asked but Butler shook his head.

"You're the one that Link did a job for in Freesia a while ago, correct?" Erza decided to clarify but once again Butler shook his head.

"The job was done for my Master; as this ob is as well." Butler corrected before opening the door the rest of the way as he stepped to the side. "Please, come in and follow me." They followed Butler through the mansion and Link quickly noticed that the layout was almost exactly the same as the one in Freesia. It wasn't long before they were standing in front of the door that had led to the library in the previous mansion. "Wait here." Butler said before knocking once on the door then walked in. They were waiting for only half a minute when the door opened back up and Butler motioned them in.

There, sitting in the middle of a similar library as the mansion in Freeisa, was Bola Fowl. The balding man smiled as they walked in then stood up to shake their hands as they got closer. "Well, well. Not only Link this time, but even Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, and Gray Fullbuster have arrived." He said then paused when he got to Lucy. "Hmm... my apologies, young lady, but who might you be?" Bola asked curiously as he took Lucy's hand.

"My name's Lucy." She introduced herself with a smile that he echoed.

"Bola Fowl." He said then leaned back across his desk. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you, though I wish it could be under better circumstances." Bola went silent for several seconds as he looked down at his desk before he sighed. "I was actually about to send an update for the job. First to update the applicant to myself and..." He said then paused before he looked back up at them. "The reward for the job has been increased to thirty million jewels. It seems that there are actually four Chimaera out there, one adult and three juveniles."

Lucy's jaw dropped in unison with Gray and Natsu. "Y-you mean-" She started to stammer in fear before two excited yells drowned her out.

"Thirty million jewels!" Gray and Natsu both exclaimed as their faces erupted into wide smiles and Lucy turned to look at them in shock as Link's ears twitched. "Hell yeah, where can we find them?" Natsu asked excitedly as he leaned forward, his right fist slamming into his left palm.

Bola blinked in surprise at their exuberance before he looked at Link and Erza. "Four Chimaeras will make it a bit of a challenge, but it's nothing we won't be able to handle." Erza said with nothing but confidence in her voice and Link nodded his head in support of her statement. Bola continued to look at all of them for several seconds before a wide smile came to his face.

"Truly incredible, you are all indeed worth your reputations." He said with a nod of his head. "Butler! Come in here, please!" He called out and immediately the door opened to admit the large servant. "Show them to the cave where the Chimaeras have laired." He said and Butler immediately bowed his head as everyone looked at Butler in surprise. "Give them the updated information on your way." He added to which Butler gave a quick nod.

"Of course, Master Fowl." Butler said then motioned for the six of them to follow him. "This way, please." He said as he walked away and they all moved to follow him. "As Master Fowl said, there are three juveniles in addition to the adult. However, the juveniles are old enough to utilize their breaths and have already devoured many lesser mages that tried to take them out." He said and Lucy gulped nervously as her eyes went wide.

"Why did Bola Fowl take over paying for the job?" Erza asked as they walked out of the mansion, moving to avoid the deep gouges in the ground.

"A friend of my Master's was trying to study some rare crystalline formations when the Chimaera first attacked him a few years ago. He was the one that first posted the job." Butler said then went silent for a moment. "A few days ago, Master's friend was seriously hurt when Master Fowl was out here visiting him at his invitation. I was able to lure the beasts away from the manor and Master Fowl got his friend medical attention, but he's decided that he'll try to see those caves cleared out for his friend." He finished as he opened up the front gate.

"Wait... you lured all four Chimaeras away?" Lucy clarified and the large servant nodded his head. "How did you manage that?" She asked but Butler remained silent on the matter.

Unfortunately for him, Natsu was also curious. "Come on, how did you do it, old man?" He asked as he moved forward to stand next to Butler. Natsu shifted his body so that he was walking sideways and crossed his hands behind his head. "Did you distract them or something, or maybe taunt them?" Natsu kept pushing, but his insistence didn't get him so much as a quick glance from the larger man. "Come on-"

"Natsu, that's enough." Erza cut in with a sigh and the pink-haired mage immediately shut his mouth. "Please excuse his bad manners." She said but Butler didn't respond for several minutes.

"I got their attention by punching the middle head of the adult Chimaera." He suddenly said as they walked through the forest. Though his words were calmly stated, everyone's gaze quickly snapped to him with varying degrees of surprise. "Once I had their attention, I led them on a chase to give Master Fowl enough time to get his friend to safety." Butler continued as if heedless of their looks, his voice never varying from that simple, calm tone. "After leading them on for two hours, I lost them and then returned to make sure nothing further had happened to Master Fowl." He finished, his entire story simple and to the point.

"Y-you punched a Chimaera's head?" Gray asked incredulously and Butler nodded once. "How the hell did you manage that without magic?" He asked but got no answer. Gray let out a small chuckle after several seconds of silence and nodded his head. "I get it; you do have some magical ability." He said but still received no answer. "Whatever, but how long till we get to the cave?" Gray asked and a feral grin immediately came to Natsu.

"The caves aren't very far, roughly two miles away." Butler said and Erza looked at him in surprise.

"Why would someone build their house so close to a Chimaera's lair?" She asked and got a shrug in response.

"Master's friend wasn't aware of the Chimaeras' existence until after Master had the mansion built for him." Butler said then went silent again until they arrived in a small clearing with a large hole in the ground and Butler immediately stopped. "You'll find the Chimaeras inside. Good luck." He said before he turned around and walked back to the mansion.

"Heheheh... let's go!" Natsu suddenly shouted as he rushed towards the hole, leaving the others behind with surprised expressions before they quickly took off after him.

Lucy gulped nervously as she followed everyone in, the cave opening looking like a giant mouth swallowing her whole, but with an effort she steadied her nerves. _Remember, you're part of Fairy Tail's Strongest Team! _She told herself as they ran further down into the cave.

The interior was massive; it could have easily held the Fairy Tail Guild House prior to its destruction, with stalactites of all sizes stretched down from the ceiling, some of them broken off and lying on the cave floor. The cave continued on deeper into the ground until the sunlight was left behind them. "It's really dark in here." Happy said when light suddenly blazed out from Link's right palm, the sudden glare making everyone but Erza close their eyes for a couple seconds until they adjusted. "Link, say something next time." The blue cat complained when he was able to see again.

Link offered an apologetic grin before his eyes narrowed and his ears flicked a couple of times. Erza immediately Requipped a broadsword in her right hand as she spun to watch the rear at the same time Link Requipped the Gilded Sword to his left hand. Natsu quickly turned to watch their right flank as Gray spun to the left and Lucy moved in the center as she nervously put her right hand against her Keys. After a few seconds, Link looked back at Erza the same instant she glanced back at him and the red-haired mage nodded once at the look in his eyes.

"Everyone, move out quickly but quietly." Erza ordered and they all immediately took off further down the cave, Lucy struggling to keep up with the four experienced mages while Happy easily flew alongside her.

A sudden roar, piercing cry, and loud hiss simultaneously shattered the silence and made them all instantly freeze; though the only one that froze from fear was Lucy. _Wh-what is that? _Lucy wondered as her hands shook slightly. _It's like three different kinds of monsters - the Chimaera! _She realized as the cave shook from large, ponderous footsteps. Link tossed the light orb in his hand to hover high in the air as a large silhouette started to slowly form. A large body, nearly as big as the mansion they had just left, was covered in black scales and came down into four, muscular legs that ended in seven foot long talons. The body split up into three long, sinuous necks that suddenly lunged into the light, all three heads coming down to devour the Fairy Tail mages.

Lucy didn't even have time to be shocked before Natsu grabbed her and joined the others in narrowly avoiding the triple attack. One of the heads, that of a large, blue-feathered eagle with large scars, quickly recovered and went after Natsu and Lucy with a piercing cry. "KYAA!" Lucy screamed as Natsu, still holding on to her tightly, jumped out of the way and rolled to get some distance.

Another head, that of a giant, green-scaled snake, merely whipped its head to the side at Gray, who almost jumped over its head in time. "GAAH!" He called out as his leg was clipped and he was sent flying to the far side of the cave, nearly slamming into it before he hit the ground and rolled several feet.

The middle head, that of a massive male lion with a black mane and one eye closed by a large scar, lunged forward with a loud roar at both Link and Erza as they were about to land. Both of their eyes narrowed as Link Requipped his Golden Gauntlets and reached out for Erza, who quickly grabbed his right hand with both of hers then spun him once. As he was coming back around he punched out with his left fist, his strength enhanced not only by the Gauntlets but also by the momentum from Erza's swing.

"HYAA!" Link's cry was followed up by a loud thump that echoed in the cave as the lion head was sent flying back on its neck right back to its black scaled body. The other two heads immediately focused on the two S-Class Mages and came in with blinding speed, but Link and Erza were still in motion as they each put only one foot on the ground as they let go of each other. Erza was already Requipping into her Flame Empress Armor, though she didn't Requip its sword, as Link Ex-Equipped his Gauntlets to Requip his usual gloves and the two lashed out at each other with matching left hooks.

"HAAA!"

"HYAA!"

Both of them yelled out as their fists met in a collision that caused a fiery explosion as the eagle and snake heads were about to swallow them whole and the blast sent both heads flying back and coated with steam. The eagle screeched in pain as the snake let out an enraged hiss. "Wait!" Natsu yelled as Link Requipped his Fairy Bow and the green clad mage blinked before he looked over at Natsu curiously. "I'll take this one." He declared with a feral grin as his eyes gleamed with excitement. Before anyone could say something, the Fire Dragon Slayer launched at the beast's chest with his right fist cocked back. "Karyu no TEKKEN!" He roared as he planted a fire-empowered fist before the heads could recover from Link's and Erza's blows.

The Chimaera let loose another triple roar/cry/hiss before the lion head whipped down. "GRAAAGH!" Natsu yelled as he was sent flying back, releasing a grunt as he hit the ground and made a ten foot long trench. "I said he's mine!" The durable mage roared as he flipped around to get back on his feet. Link, Erza, and Gray, who had been moving to get in position to attack as well, all looked back at him for a few moments before Link nodded his head.

"Lucy, stay here." Link said as he Ex-Equipped the Fairy Bow then looked over at Gray and Erza. "We'll take the juveniles." He said and Erza nodded her head as she Ex-Equipped the Flame Empress Armor to Requip her usual armor.

"Tch, the hothead gets the real fun?" Gray complained but nodded his head. "Don't worry; I'll be back in time to save your sorry ass!" He called out to Natsu as the three of them rushed past the Chimaera.

The eagle head turned to track their progress and let loose another piercing cry as a blast of lightning shot from its mouth. While Erza simply ignored it, Gray looked back in surprise when suddenly Link stopped and jumped up to intercept the blast. In an instant he had the Mirror Shield Requipped and easily caught, using the shield's ability to hold the blast within. The eagle looked at him, surprise reflected in its intense, amber eyes, before it let off one more piercing cry then returned its attention to the enemies still in front of the Chimaera.

"Lucy, get back." Natsu said as he offered a feral grin to the three heads and Lucy quickly ran further back even as she pulled one of her Golden Keys off the key chain.

"Open the Gate of the Golden Bull!" Lucy chanted as she turned while skidding to a stop, thrusting the Golden Bull Key into the air. "Taurus!" She cried out as she sliced down with the axe-like key. A bright light flashed momentarily before quickly fading to show a new combatant before the Chimaera. An eight foot tall, heavily muscled white minotaur with black spots looked up at the monster with narrow, intense eyes. This behemoth was almost completely naked, clad only in a pair of black speedos with a spiked belt, white wraps that ran from his wrists nearly to his elbows, a choker with a small bell, and a red belt that ran diagonally across his torso. What the red belt was for was easy to see, as strapped to his back was a labrys, a large double-headed battleaxe with a handle as long as he was tall and with blades that matched his massive chest and shoulders in width.

Taurus let out one massive snort, shaking the golden ring that pierced his nose, then immediately turned to Lucy as his expression changed from battle-ready to perverted. "Lucy! It's good to see your niiice body again!" He joyfully said as he clasped his hands together. Lucy let out a sigh as she covered her eyes with her right hand before she let out a squeal of panic as all three heads suddenly lunged down at Natsu.

The Dragon Slayer leaped high over the attack then took a deep breath. "Karyu no Houko!" Natsu roared as fire blasted from his mouth down at the Chimaera. The eagle and snake head both tilted to look up at him and retaliated with a blast of lightning from the eagle and acid from the snake. Natsu's attack barely held the combined blast back as the lion head turned its attention on Lucy and Taurus and let loose a large blast of fire. "KYAA!" Lucy screamed in panic while Taurus's eyes suddenly glinted as he put himself between the fire and Lucy.

"MOOO!" Taurus roared as he crossed his arms defensively over his chest.

"Taurus!" Lucy screamed as she watched the Golden Bull take the attack head on, his giant frame shaking from the force of the blast. All four breath attacks stopped at the same time and Natsu landed on the ground while Taurus dropped to one knee. "Taurus, are you okay?" Lucy asked as she ran up to him, concern thick in her voice and on her face, as Natsu looked back for the second he had, concern in his eyes, before he had to bring his attention back to the three headed monster before him.

"How dare you..." Taurus growled out as his entire body shook from repressed rage. Lucy looked at him in surprise before she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "How dare you attack such magnificent boobs!" He roared angrily then charged at the Chimaera, his right hand going back to bring his labrys to the ready.

Lucy's concern shifted immediately to shock at his words before she sighed helplessly. "Pervert..." She mumbled to herself.

"Aye." Happy put in as he hovered beside her.

While Taurus and Natsu rushed in to attack the Chimaera; Link, the Mirror Shield no longer in sight, Erza, and Gray sprinted further into the cave. A few minutes later, when only Link could catch the sounds of the fight still going on, a green light began to glimmer in the distance. "I"m guessing those are the crystal formations Butler mentioned." Gray remarked and Erza nodded her head.

"Most likely, but for Bola's friend to have come this deep in must have taken him a while at a walking- enh! ?" Erza suddenly grunted in surprise as they all slid to a stop. The weak light had gradually gotten brighter the further in they ran before suddenly going into a bright glare. All of them shielded their eyes against the light, and it was several seconds before they could slowly open them. What they saw had their eyes going wide in awe.

This cavern was even larger, it could possibly hold half of Magnolia City, but what really had them awestruck were the large crystal formations that nearly covered the cavern's walls and completely covered its ceiling. Their surprise deepened further as Link realized what the crystals were.

"Lacrima." Link said and Gray swallowed.

"This has to be one of the largest lacrima deposits ever found." Gray said before familiar cries brought them back to reality.

Out of another cave three Chimaeras walked into the main cavern, each a little over half as large as the one they had left behind. All nine heads made sounds of displeasure at the three mages, all of whom quickly dropped into combat stances. "One for each of us." Erza said when another full-grown Chimaera followed the three juveniles out, this one lacking the battle scars of the one closer to the entrance.

"Guess that explains the juveniles." Gray said with a sigh before the four Chimaeras gave their triple cries and rushed forward, the adult quickly overtaking the juveniles.

"Erza." Link said then jumped up over her. Erza moved forward slightly as she brought her right hand up, which Link landed lightly on with his left foot. The red haired mage immediately pivoted and gave a loud cry as she threw Link with all her strength at the incoming adult Chimaera. Link brought his arms tight against his sides as he went into a high speed spin. He flew at the monster like some kind of green arrow when he suddenly activated Nayru's Love. The Chimaera didn't even know what hit it as the crystalline aura was utilized to easily pierce its tough hide and went through its heart. Link flew out the other side, his momentum barely slowed by the Chimeara's bulk, and dropped Nayru's Love while he inverted during his spin in time to land on his feet then skid past the three juveniles. The adult pitched forward with a triple cry before it caught itself, blood leaking from the hole in its chest and all three mouths.

The three juveniles skidded to a stop, temporarily frozen as they looked at their mortally wounded parent. "Ice Make: Lance!" Gray yelled as he took his ice molding stance and sent nine ice lances to slam into the adult, getting another triple cry, while Erza charged forward. This time the adult sent a triple blast of fire, lightning, and acid at the incoming attacker but Erza gave a sudden dash as she Ex-Equipped her armor to Requip the Black Wing Armor and its sword. The large wings on the armor flared out as the breath attacks hit the ground and caused a large explosion, the combined efforts of her wings and the blast sending her soaring at the Chimaera.

"Kureha: Gessen!" Erza yelled as she flew past the Chimaera while slashing in an x-pattern. She landed nimbly as the juveniles recovered from their shock and Link Requipped the Megaton Hammer to his left hand and the Mirror Shield to his right. The snake and lion heads fell off the adult and the eagle head gave a gurgling cry as it struggled to recover but Gray was already coming up to deliver the final blow.

"Ice Make: Axe!" The ice mage yelled as he jumped up and sliced his right hand horizontally. A wide arc of thin ice shot out from his hand and cut deeply into the eagle head's neck, which sent out another gout of blood. The Chimaera gave one last gurgling cry as it collapsed while Gray landed next to Erza. "That wasn't so-" Gray was cut off as the three juveniles let out savage calls and responded with a triple blast at each mage. "GAH!" He yelled as the fire/lightning/acid blast hit him and slammed him into the adult's carcass.

Link jumped to the left to avoid the blast and its resulting explosion and shifted the Mirror Shield. "Hyaa!" He shouted as he sent the lightning blast he had taken from the other adult at one juvenile's main body. The force of the blast made it skid back but it proved resilient to the blast and quickly retaliated with a blast of fire that Link captured and sent back it, once again knocking it back a few feet.

Erza flew forward, her body close to the ground, and narrowly got ahead of the resulting explosion. "HAA!" She roared as closed the distance on another juvenile almost instantly and launched up at her target, but the Chimaera jumped to the side with surprising agility and the snake head whipped down to try and crush the blade mage. Erza narrowly dodged and retaliated with a sword stroke that snake head whipped up to avoid as the third juvenile turned its lion head and prepared to send a blast of fire at her.

"Ice Make: Lance!" Gray suddenly called out and nine ice lances slammed into the third juvenile. "I'm not out yet, you bastard!" He yelled as he tossed his shirt to the side then charged forward to take on his own Chimaera. Gray brought his hands to his side to prepare to ice mold as the juvenile prepared brought its eagle head around in a sweeping arc. The ice mage jumped over the attack and came down just a dozen feet from the large monster, hands first. "Ice Make: Floor!" He roared as his hands slammed onto the ground and suddenly the Chimaera was scrambling for purchase as ice covered the stone under it. A sudden shockwave, courtesy of a blow from the Megaton Hammer Link used to stumble his own target, combined with its loss of traction to bring it to the ground and Gray, who stumbled a bit but kept his balance, brought his hands up for another spell.

"HAA!" Erza roared as she ran past her Chimaera and cut off its left legs with a single swipe each, toppling it down with a cry of pain. The Chimaera wasn't done, though, as its lion head came down with a savage bite that took Erza whole. Almost instantly flames started to escape from its teeth as it attempted to cook her alive.

Link's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Erza's predicament, he rushed forward at his Chimaera when all three heads suddenly slammed down. "Ice Make: Cannon!" Gray roared and fired a large icy blast that sent his Chimaera skidding across the icy ground as Link nimbly jumped off the green scaled neck of the snake head and landed nimbly on the neck of the lion head.

"Hyaa!" Link yelled as he delivered a blow with the Megaton Hammer that crushed the Chimaera's torso, killing it instantly. At the same time Link finished his Chimaera off, the lion head of the Chimaera that was cooking Erza suddenly flew apart in ten different pieces to show the red haired mage now in the red and gold Flame Empress Armor with the Flame Sword in hand; completely unharmed.

"SSSSSSSS!"

"TSSEEEER!"

The snake and eagle heads both cried out in pain while Gray skated after his Chimaera and brought his hands together. "Ice Make: Ice Geyser!" Gray roared as he slammed his hands on the ground and a twenty foot wide wave of twenty foot long ice spikes shot forward. The juvenile let out one last cry as the spikes pierced it before it shuddered then went still, its blood turning the ice a bright red. "Haa... haa..." Gray panted heavily as Erza came down on the final Chimaera, back in her Black Wing Armor.

"HAA!" Erza yelled as she slashed down with enough power that the air pressure from the attack cleaved the weakened Chimaera in half. "Gray, are you okay?" Erza asked after she had landed and both her and Link had Ex-Equipped their weapons and Erza had Requipped her usual armor.

"Just.. a little winded." Gray said as he got his breathing under control. Link put a hand on his shoulder and offered a grin that Gray returned before he turned around. "Come on; let's go check on the hothead." The ice mage said then took off back back where Natsu and Lucy had stayed behind to fight the first adult.

"KYAA!" Lucy screamed as she went flying through the air before she slammed into the ground. She gave a small whimper of pain as she struggled to stand as Natsu flew down at the lion head with a large fireball over his head.

"Karyu no Koen!" Natsu roared as he slammed the fireball down on the lion head, the force of his attack sending it slamming to the ground with a roar of pain. "GRAAAGH!" Natsu's cry of pain as he was sent flying by a hit from the snake head gave Lucy the strength to get back up and look at the Chimaera.

Despite the fact that Lucy and Natsu were both covered in bruises, and Taurus was no longer there, it was obvious that they had gotten their shots in as well. A long, weeping cut was now on the Chimaera's left side; an injury dealt by Taurus, his first and only successful attack before he had been finally grabbed, smashed into the ground, and then blasted with acid. The Chimaera was also covered in scorch marks and the lion's mane was now fully engulfed in flames, something that only seemed to enrage all three heads further.

"Natsu, are you okay? !" Happy asked as he flew at the Dragon Slayer but Natsu was already up and moving, just in time to avoid a blast of lightning from the Chimaera.

"Happy, stay back!" Natsu ordered as he rushed back in, his black eyes glinting angrily. The blue cat paused uncertainly before a blast of fire from the enraged lion head nearly incinerated him.

"Uwaaa!" Happy screamed as he was sent spiraling from the force of the near miss to slam into the cave not far from Lucy.

"Happy!" Lucy and Natsu yelled while the female mage knelt down and carefully picked him up. "Happy, are you okay?" Lucy asked while Natsu jumped over a grasping claw and came down with his lower body covered in flames.

"Karyu no Kagitsume!" Natsu roared as he delivered two fiery kicks in rapid succession that sent the claw slamming to the ground and made the Chimaera stumble. The Dragon Slayer immediately took a deep breath as he prepared a follow-up attack. "Karyu no-"

"TSEEER!" The eagle head cried out as it sent a blast of lightning that hit Natsu from the side.

"GRAAAGH!" Natsu's pain-filled roar echoed through the cave before it intensified as the snake head added a blast of acid.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed while Happy slowly opened one eye.

"N... Natsu..." Happy said weakly before looking up as he felt Lucy move.

Tears of frustration ran down Lucy's determined face as she reached for her keys. _With no water around, I can't use Aquarius. _She thought as the fingers of her right hand run across her keys. _Virgo and Cancer don't have the strength to get through the Chimaera's hide and they don't have Taurus's durability. _Her hand suddenly froze as it came into contact with her final Golden Key, one that looked like a normal key with a white orb at the end of the handle that was stamped with a green arrow; the key she had received from the Galuna Island Job. "That's it!" She yelled as she pulled the key free and brought her arm out full extension. "Open the Gate of the Archer!" She chanted before she brought the key up above her head. "Sagittarius!" She finished as she sliced the key down in one swift movement._  
_

A bright flash of light momentarily filled the cave before it quickly faded to show Lucy's new spirit. A tall, lanky man with short, messy black hair stood at military attention with a white and ice blue bow held in his left hand and a large quiver on his back. He was dressed in a green tunic with gold lining over a white business shirt and red and white striped shorts over a brown horse costume. Sagittarius was calm as his black eyes took in the scene for several seconds before he turned to face Lucy. "What can I do for you, moshi, moshi?" He asked as he offered a precise salute.

"HROOOOAAAARR!" A loud roar from the still inflamed lion head cut off any reply Lucy had been about to give. The Celestial Spirit quickly turned as he grabbed an arrow from his quiver and set it in his bow in a second but froze in surprise as the lion head immediately attacked with a large blast of fire.

"KYAAA!" Lucy screamed as she dropped to her knees and curled protectively around Happy.

"Lucy! Happy!" Natsu roared as he quickly launched from where he had been struggling to get back, nothing more than a pink and white blur as he moved to intercept the attack. A massive explosion shook the cave and the bright flare made all three heads close their eyes. A few seconds later, all eyes snapped open as they heard a loud, constant inhaling sound; almost as if someone were getting ready to hold their breath for a long time.

Lucy, Happy, and Sagittarius all watched as Natsu inhaled the flames; the entire process taking several seconds. When he was done, his eyes closed for a couple seconds before they suddenly snapped open again, the movement accompanied by his entire body erupting in intense, swirling flames. "Lucy, Happy, are you two okay?" He growled out as he glared up at the Chimaera while small, scale-like patterns began to appear under his eyes and on his arms.

"Y-yeah." Lucy said as she struggled to stand up.

"Aye." Happy said with a weak grin.

"Lucy, can you give me an opening?" Natsu asked and Lucy blinked before she turned her gaze to Sagittarius.

"Just give the order, and it shall be done." The Celestial Spirit said as he took the arrow from his bow to reach back and grab five more arrows and Lucy nodded her head once then looked at Natsu.

"Right then." Natsu said as he flexed his fingers then crouched as the flames started to intensify. "Here I go!" He roared as he launched forward in an explosion of flame, a small crater left where he had been standing.

"Sagittarius!" Lucy called out. The archer took aim and fired all six arrows at once, each one flying at the Chimaera; more specifically, at its eyes. Four of the eyes hit their mark, piercing into the eyes of the lion and eagle heads, while the other pinged off the scaled eyelids of the snake head.

Natsu ignored the heads as they flailed around in pain and rage, for he was now in range and ready to return the damage almost inflicted on his nakama. "Guren!" He roared as he launched up at its torso and started to unleash a barrage of fiery punches. "Karyu!" He continued after he dealt over a dozen punches and then increased the tempo of his attacks; the Chimaera actually getting pushed back from the sheer destructive power of the enraged Dragon Slayer. Natsu suddenly seemed to disappear and then reappear on the Chimaera's back, his right hand held over his head as he pivoted his body for a final, downward blow. "KEN!" Chunks of rock fell from the ceiling and smashed on the ground as Natsu unleashed the devastating blow.

The Chimaera was slammed down to the ground, its back shattered, and gave one last cry before it went still; its previous wounds adding up with the final attack to push it beyond even its amazing abilities. Natsu continued to glare down at the Chimaera's body for a few seconds as he breathed deeply before he suddenly stood up and jumped off; the fire gone from his body. The instant he landed, he stumbled and narrowly kept himself from falling as he leaned down to put his hands on his knees.

Lucy immediately quickly stumbled towards while Sagittarius looked on at attention. "Natsu... are you okay?" She called out as she got closer and stopped in front of him, her arms still cradling the injured Happy.

"That wasn't... so bad." Natsu gasped out then looked up with a wide grin that set Lucy back for a second.

"You're crazy." She sighed and Natsu chuckled before they all looked over as Link, Erza, and Gray came charging up.

"Hey, what took you three so long?" Natsu called out as he slowly straightened.

_**Mansion - Two Hours Later**_

"Incredible." Bola Fowl said as he shook his head in wonder while the team from Fairy Tail stood in front of him.

Lucy stood at the far right with more than a few bumps and bruises, but all her serious injuries had been taken care of by Link's potions and salve. To her left stood a slightly banged up Natsu with a bandaged Happy held in his arms, the latter sleeping peacefully.

Gray stood on the far left, his body also sporting a few bruises; his shirt left forgotten and most likely destroyed in the cavern. To his right stood a completely unharmed Erza and, next to her, a similarly undamaged Link.

"From Freesia Town I learned that Link gets the job done quickly, but I hadn't expected a matter involving four, my mistake, five Chimaera to be resolved so quickly." Bola continued and Natsu gave a wide grin.

"Nothing Fairy Tail can't handle." Natsu said with supreme confidence and got a chuckle from him.

"Indeed, but it appears I can't pay the thirty million after all." Bola said and everyone looked at him in surprise. "Surely you can't expect me to pay that amount!" He exclaimed then offered a wide grin while Lucy started to sputter and Erza's eyes narrowed. "After all, with another adult Chimaera added in, this job would be worth at least forty-five million jewels by my estimate." He said and the three non S-Class mages had their jaws dropped as their eyes tried to jump out from their skulls.

"F-f-f-forty-"

"Forty-five million? !" Gray exclaimed, cutting off Lucy's stammered disbelief, and Bola nodded his head as he continued to smile at them.

"Butler will see to your pay, thank you again for your efforts." He said, to which Link and Erza nodded their heads toward him; the other three were still in a state of shock as they turned around to walk out. Link, the last in line, was about to walk out the door when suddenly Bola spoke up again. "I'm sorry to say that I've not been able to make much headway in the matter we discussed before." He said but Link looked back with an understanding smile.

"Good luck." Link said simply then closed the door behind him.

Erza looked over at him questioningly as they all followed Butler, Happy now awake and giving a loud yawn. "He's studying dimensional magic." Link said in reply and her brown eyes widened slightly before she nodded in understanding.

"Heheheh..." Natsu suddenly chuckled and everyone looked over at him. "We did it!" He yelled triumphantly then jumped in the air. "Another S-Class successfully completed!" He crowed and Gray chuckled as Lucy and Happy gave bright smiles.

"Yes, and this time you three didn't have to break any rules." Erza said as she shot them a small glare that made them all freeze. The glare didn't last long, though, as a warm smile quickly replaced it. "Well done, everyone." She said as Link gave them his own grin and nodded in approval.

Gray, Natsu, Lucy, and Happy looked at them in surprise before their smiles slowly returned full force. "Hey, let's do another one!" Natsu said happily and Lucy's smile suddenly disappeared.

"Could we... do something simpler?" She pleaded as she brought her hands up in prayer and Erza made a small sound of amusement._  
_

"Of course, there are a group of rogue mages causing trouble if I remember another job on the board." Erza said and Lucy's eyes went wide in shock. "I know it may seem a bit under our level, but it's important to take a slow mission now and then to not strain yourself." She explained, completely misinterpreting Lucy's shock.

_These people are crazy! _Lucy wailed in her mind as the others nodded their heads in agreement.

* * *

Into the Past: Potion Master

The sun was shining as eleven year old Link, his body swathed in bandages, walked through the large forest outside of Magnolia City; the Kokiri Sword strapped to his back but the Hylian Shield was safely stored in his pouch. Only a week had passed since he agreed to join Fairy Tail, though he hadn't filled out one of those cards or received the mark yet. The young warrior was technically still supposed to be resting, but he had been slowly going stir crazy after doing nothing for so long; especially as he tried to reason through what had happened to him.

_I still can't believe it. _He thought to himself as he walked through the forest. He absentmindedly noted the different plants as he walked, most of which reminded him of plants he could have found around Kokiri Village. _Could I really be in another dimension? _He asked himself then looked at his right shoulder as he opened his mouth before he remembered that Navi wasn't there.

Link immediately stopped walking as his eyes dimmed before he vigorously shook his head and winced as his body throbbed in protest from the violent movement. _I already know about the Sacred... _Dark _Realm. If I put it in perspective, the fact that there are other dimensions, other worlds, isn't that far-fetched. _He reasoned as he started walking again. _I don't know why I'm in a child's body again... something must have happened during my... trip... that's similar to what the Pedestal would do. _Link decided then glanced down at his body. _I guess it doesn't matter in the end... Hyrule is safe from Ganondorf... if only I had thought to throw the Master Sword and Ocarina of Time back to everyone. _His thoughts tried to darken again, so he quickly refocused on the forest around him.

Perhaps it was because of his time living in Kokiri Village, but Link had always enjoyed the forest. Whenever he would feel down or needed to think, he could always find solace in the trees and various plants around him. _Makarov said I would need to find a place to live... but that city is too crowded. _He thought before his ears flicked a couple of times. _And why does everyone have to keep shouting? _He wondered plaintively before he suddenly stopped as he realized something that suddenly seemed obvious. _I could just build a house out here, among the trees. _A small grin came to him at the thought and he quickly decided to do just that.

As Link continued his walk, now with the intent of finding a good spot for his new house, he suddenly came upon a door set in a large, gnarled tree. Curious, Link walked up to it and quickly spotted a window cut into the side as well. He immediately opened the unlocked door upon reaching it and cautiously looked inside. Link's eyes went wide as he saw that someone had carefully hollowed out the entire tree to make a small but comfortable house. _It's just like-_

"You there!" A loud, stern voice suddenly shouted from behind him and he quickly turned around to see a tall, slender, elderly woman with long, pink hair tied in a bun on the back of her head by two large pins with crescent moon-shaped edges, and with two bangs of hair left framing her face. She wore a dark green blouse with a black tie around the collar and a maroon skirt under a red cloak with a long, upturned collar that ended in what appeared to be sharp teeth and held a wicker basket in her left hand. Her face was stern with a beauty mark under her mouth and she was currently glaring at him with red eyes. "What do you think you're doing?" She demanded coldly and Link cocked his head curiously as he looked at her with questioning eyes. Link's inability to understand what the elderly woman meant seemed to aggravate her as she walked up to him and he quickly backed away from her, his movement putting him inside the house. "How dare you enter someone's house without permission." She snapped angrily as she got closer and reached out as if to grab him.

Link immediately jumped back, his ears now angled straight back and eyes narrowed, and landed lightly on a barrel as he unsheathed the Kokiri Sword before the woman's words made him pause. "Your house?" He asked cautiously, quietly, of the woman who had paused at the sudden change in the boy in front of her.

"Of course it's my house!" She snapped angrily as she glared at him. "Now that you know that, you can get out of here and leave me be! I can't stand humans!" She said sharply and Link once again tilted his head curiously, inwardly wondering if this woman was insane.

"Humans?" He asked and the sincere confusion in his eyes made the woman pause again.

"Yes, humans." The woman said as she looked at him. "In other words, you." She pointed with her right index finger to illustrate her point but Link just shook his head, his blue eyes never leaving her red ones.

"I'm a K... Hylian." Link said and his ears twitched a couple of times, the movement drawing the woman's attention.

Her eyes widened a fraction of a centimeter before she sighed. "Well, whatever you are, get off that barrel this instant." She ordered as she closed her door and Link quickly hopped off and landed lightly on his feet with a small wince. "And what are you doing walking through the forest by yourself with those injuries and at your age?" She demanded as she took in his bandages.

"I prefer the forest... and it's too loud in the city." Link said and that took woman back a step.

"Hmph, well you're right about it being too loud in that gathering of fools called a city." She allowed as she put the basket on a desk. "Who are you, and what were you doing breaking into my house?" She asked as her glare returned, albeit not quite as fierce as it had first been.

"Link." He answered after almost a minute had elapsed then offered a small bow. "This place reminded me of... somewehre special." He answered and the woman went silent as he stood straight again, and this time his eyes roamed the interior; even if he made sure to pay attention to the volatile woman as well. What he saw brought a small grin to his face again even as a small ache formed in his heart. This little house was almost exactly like a Kokiri home would be made, albeit with furniture more suited to an adult.

Sparsely furnished, it contained a desk, a couple of chairs, and a bed that was situated under a second window which allowed sunlight in and keep it warm. Barrels and shelves took up the most of the space, and plants could be found everywhere; but the vials and other equipment made him think of the back of a potion shop. "Are you a potion maker?" He asked curiously and the woman nodded her head.

"Indeed," She said simply and then went silent as she continued to study him. "I take it you just stumbled on my home by chance, didn't you?" She asked and received a nod from Link. "I suppose I can forgive you, but first you better tell me the name of the idiot who let you walk around with those injuries." She said and Link paused for a moment before a dangerous light came to her eyes.

"Makarov." He said quickly and this time the woman blinked in surprise before she scowled.

"That old fool, how many children is he going to take into Fairy Tail?" She asked but Link remained quiet, convinced that she was asking herself more than him. Her eyes clouded for a while as she became lost in thought before she blinked and her became alert again. What she saw as she refocused had her mouth coming open to snap angrily when she noticed Link holding a plant that she knew to be poisonous if eaten alone. She paused though when Link sniffed at the plant and made a small face. He then put it back where he had found it. _Interesting. _She thought then stepped forward, at which point Link quickly spun to face her again. "Your name is Link, correct?" She asked and got a nod of confirmation. "My name is Porlyusica, Fairy Tail's Medicinal Advisor." She said and Link's eyes widened slightly for a moment. "Now then, what exactly are you doing out here?" She asked and Link went quiet for a little bit before he offered a small shrug.

"Making a place to live." He said and Porlyusica's eyes narrowed in irritation.

"So I'll have a brat for a neighbor." She said and Link nodded his head. "Well, you better choose a place a good distance from me, do you understand?" She said and at that Link hesitated for a moment. "What?" She asked crossly when he saw him hesitate and Link pointed at the plants that lined the room.

"Could you teach me what all the plants are?" He asked and Porlyusica looked at him in surprise. "I've never seen some of them, and I want to know more about them." Link went on and this time it was the potion master that was silent for a while as she looked down at the earnest boy in front of her.

"Oh very well, but only if you promise to make your house at least a mile away from here." She snapped, suddenly aggravated, and Link's eyes brightened before he nodded his head in agreement. "And if you don't out of my sight and back in a bed this instant, I'll give you more to worry about than those scratches!" She shouted as she grabbed a broom and wielded it as if it were a sword. Link's eyes went wide as he took off, the broom-wielding madwoman behind him, and kept moving even when she stopped chasing him.

Porlyusica watched Link become a green dot as he ran through the forest; her red eyes contemplative now that she was sure the boy was on his way to a bed. "Hylian..." She muttered out loud before she shook her head and walked back to her house. "Well, maybe he won't be quite as bad as a human." She said as she walked back inside, this time making sure to lock the door behind her.

* * *

Karyu no Tekkn - Fire Dragon's Iron Fist

Karyu no Houko - Fire Dragon's roar

Karyu no Koen - Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame

Karyu no Kagitsume - Fire Dragon's Talons

Guren: Karyuken - Flame Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist

* * *

I would like to thank you all for your patience and apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. Life likes to throw curveballs at me, apparently.

If anyone is interested in a Legend of Zelda/Fairy Tail crossover that takes place after Majora's Mask, I recommend giving Kazama the shell bullet's **Lost Legend of the Magical Knight** a read. Would post the link, but for some reason not letting me.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	32. Heavy Thoughts

Chapter Twenty-Six

A full moon hung among the glittering stars as night descended on the forest. The six mages from Fairy Tail all sat around a modest campfire that they had prepared to keep the night chill at bay; at least at bay from everyone that wasn't an ice mage.

Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Happy were all currently looking at Link in surprise while Erza looked at him irritably. The green-clad mage, however, just looked at Erza with amusement obvious in his blue eyes, an amusement further backed up by the small smile on his face. "What did you say?" Erza asked as her right eye visibly twitched and the others swallowed at this clear sign of her rising anger, but Link seemed immune to it as his blue eyes continued to shine with amusement.

"Was being eaten part of your plan?" Link asked as he looked at her while she sat on the other side of the fire and her right eye twitched again.

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy were all sitting on the same side of the fire again while Gray had been lounging across from them. He was now sitting up straight, though, as all four of them looked back and forth between the two with varying degrees of nervousness. "Fufufu... I suppose you think you're quite funny right now, Link." Erza's sudden, controlled laughter unnerved them even further, especially when it was accompanied by a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Hey!" Lucy suddenly called out nervously and everyone looked at her, making her freeze with uncertainty. "Umm... uhhh... how... Link, would you mind telling us some more about Hyrule?" She stammered for a bit before she finally latched onto that. Lucy immediately regretted it, though, as she remembered how melancholic Link had become, at one point he even seemed to be depressed. Link, however, only turned contemplative as he looked into the fire and everyone went quiet as they waited for his answer.

"Lon Lon Ranch." He suddenly said with a nod after a long moment of silence. Link looked up at the others to find all of them attentive, even Erza seemed willing to let his comment slide in favor of hearing more about his homeland. "It's a good-sized ranch that raises horses and dairy cows. Three people run it; Talon, Malon, and Ingo." He said and a small smile came back to his face.

"Are they friends of yours?" Natsu asked and Link nodded his head. "Did you come across it while adventuring?" He asked and this time Link looked to the side as his ears drooped slightly while he scratched his cheek.

Erza leaned forward curiously as she immediately recognized Link's embarrassment. "I... forgot to properly prepare for travel before leaving Kokiri Village." Link said and everyone looked at him in surprise. "Talon and Malon came across me collapsed outside the ranch." He explained then went silent for a few moments.

"That explains why you always bring extra supplies." Erza said and Link nodded his head.

"Talon is about my height and a bit overweight, but with large, strong arms and short, brown hair. Ingo is about the same in height, but leaner and more toned, and he also has short, brown hair. Malon was about your height when we were kids, Erza, and has long, red hair and blue eyes." Link said then paused for a moment as he shifted slightly. "After Talon and Malon found me, they let me travel with them during a delivery across the plains. That was the first time I had... Lon Lon Milk." Everyone but Happy looked at him with a mixture of resigned patience and a bit of surprise at the dreamy tone in his voice and look in his eyes.

"Is it good milk?" Happy asked excitedly as he brought his front paws up to his mouth and Link nodded his head.

"The best." Link's immediate response caused Erza to cock her right eyebrow at him curiously but he nodded his head in confirmation.

"Did anything exciting happen?" Natsu cut in and Link blinked before he looked up at the canopy and nodded his head.

"One night, we were attacked by Stalchilds." He said and everyone looked at him in confusion. "Cruel and ruthless animated skeletons." Link explained and everyone's confusion quickly changed to shock.

"S-s-skeletons?" Lucy gulped nervously and got a nod from the other blonde mage.

"What happened?" Erza asked, not even bothering to voice disbelief. If Link said he had been attacked by skeletons, then he had been attacked by skeletons.

Link's eyes gained a distant look for close to a minute before he started to talk, his eyes still retaining that distant expression. "One night, after we had finished preparing camp, we were sitting around a fire and relaxing. Suddenly I heard the ground shifting in several different areas and, before I knew it, five Stalchilds were attacking us." His eyes narrowed as his ears flicked once. "They walk slowly, but their attacks are surprisingly quick and vicious when they get in close." Link paused for a moment then closed his eyes and shook his head. "Talon got injured but I was able to destroy them all." He finished as he looked back at them.

Everyone looked at him for several seconds before Natsu leaned forward in disbelief. "How did the fight go?" He demanded but Link just blinked and looked at him with a confused expression. "Other than you won!" Natsu explained impatiently. "Was it easy, what kind of attacks did you use, how did that Talon guy get injured?" Natsu went on but Link just continued to look at him for a few seconds.

"He was injured by a Stalchild." Link said and Natsu's right eye twitched before he brought his hands to his hair in frustration.

"Gah! Why do you have to be so sparing with words?!" The Dragon Slayer demanded angrily while Gray and Lucy just sighed.

"Come on, let's get some sleep." Erza said and Natsu let out a sigh before he froze as his hands went back down.

"Erza!" He said as he jumped to his feet and pointed a finger at her. "You owe me a fight!" He exclaimed and Erza blinked before she made a small sound of amusement.

"That's right, I suppose I do." She said as Lucy and Gray looked at him like he was crazy. "Very well." The red-haired mage said as she stood up. "The Guild is too damaged to have the fight around it, so let's go ahead and get this out of the way now." Erza said and Natsu grinned while Happy, Lucy, and Gray looked on in shock. As the three of them scrambled back, Link gave a small yawn right as Natsu launched at Erza.

Erza dodged to the left to avoid Natsu's right punch and retaliated with a jumping right knee strike that knocked the breath from Natsu and dropped him to the ground. Gray just chuckled at the sudden end to the fight while Lucy looked down at Natsu for a few seconds before she sighed in resignation. Link got up and dusted himself off then nodded goodnight to the others before he jumped up to a tree branch; where he lowered his cap over his eyes.

_**Magnolia Town - Four Days Later**_

A full moon hung in the sky over the work in progress known as the Fairy Tail Guild Hall while Makarov, wearing a black cloak over an orange shirt and pants, sat on a high piece of framework for the new Guild Hall. His face was somber as he looked up at the beautiful orb in the sky with its usual company of stars as they twinkled in the night. _Retirement... _He thought and shifted his walking stick as he recalled a conversation with his old friend, Yajima.

_Makarov, dressed in a white coat with fur trim and golden tassels on the collar completely buttoned up and black slacks, sat side by side with another short, elderly man on a bench in a large, brightly lit hallway within the Magic Council's Headquarters after his hearing. The other mage wore a black, three-winged hat over his bald head and a simple brown, long-sleeved shirt with black, vertical stripes going down it and black slacks. _

_"You were in serious trouble this time, Maka-bou." The other mage said in slow, somber tones before he looked over at Makarov with his permanently squinted eyes while his small, gray mustache twitched as he talked. "Aren't you going to thank me?" He asked and Makarov looked over at him before he gave a broad smile and brought up his right hand in a friendly gesture of surrender._

_"Thanks for the help, Yajima." Makarov said with a wink. "When the Guild's reconstructed, come over and I'll treat you to some ramen." He said and Yajima paused for a moment as he considered it._

_"Then please put twelve slices of roast pork in it." He said and Makarov's smile quickly became a scowl as he crossed his arms over his chest._

_"Twelve slices are too much!" He snapped angrily but Yajima's doleful expression didn't change as he looked forward again._

_"This time the case was very complicated." Yajima said then paused as his face tilted towards the ceiling. "I believe that every rule starting from the fourth in the Guild Rules and Regulations Guideline was broken, probably the worst one being-"_

_"Okay, I get it!" Makarov snapped angrily. "You can get twenty slices! If you want, even thirty!" He said but Yajima seemed unfazed as he simply looked forward again._

_"Twelve slices of roast pork will be enough." Yajima said and a shadow of a grin made his mouth twitch for a second and then quickly disappeared._

_Makarov continued to look at him angrily for a few seconds before it quickly disappeared and he looked down at the ground. "Then again..." He said then paused as he let out a sigh. "You really helped us... again." He added with a weak chuckle before he gave a small wince as his right hand clenched his left jacket sleeve for a second._

_Yajima's head tilted towards him for a second before he looked forward again and gave his own sigh. "Maka-bou, you shouldn't be so reckless again." He said and Makarov looked over at him with a questioning look and grunt. "Recently, Fairy Tail's been too conspicuous with its members' actions. We even have a special book for that Natsu boy and his apparent thirst for destruction." He said then gave another sigh. "With what happened with Lullaby and Link's words at his trial, this fight against Phantom Lord has even gotten Org and Michello to call out for you to be disbanded." He said and Makarov's eyes widened in surprise._

_"The second and third seats?" Makarov asked and Yajima nodded his head in confirmation. The Fairy Tail Master looked down at the ground with that revelation before he snorted and shook his head before he opened his mouth to retort._

_"I know what you're about to say, and I know that things could have turned out much worse without your Guild's actions." Yajima cut in smoothly before Makarov could say anything. "But Maka-bou, if your Guild continues on like this, you'll be in for some heavy punishment. You should retire before that." He said then turned his head to look at him. "You need to start thinking about your health." He added and at that Makarov's eyes became guarded before he gave a small sound of annoyance._

_"Porlyusica..." He grumbled out as well as a few choice words about her._

_"I'll pass on your message to her." Yajima said and Makarov froze as his eyes bulged in fear. "Just kidding." He said after letting Makarov sweat for several seconds then jumped down from the bench. "Maka-bou, at least consider what I've said." Were his final words as he walked off and Makarov watched him leave, his expression thoughtful._

Makarov grabbed a mug of beer on his right and took a large pull from it. He gave a satisfied sigh at the taste before he looked to his right at the sudden appearance of Link then to his left as Erza sat down next to him. "Link, Erza, thanks for coming out here." He said and they both nodded their heads.

"Of course, Master." Erza said as Link sat down and passed a glass of milk over to her and took a sip from his own glass.

"It seems the Council got really steamed at us this time." Makarov said before he shot Link a look as his ears flicked a couple of times and his blue eyes flashed dangerously. "Yajima understood the circumstances so we won't be getting any punishment, but you know that Guilds are not allowed to clash against each other." He said, his tone calm but stern, and Link nodded his head after a few seconds.

"It isn't just because of that, though, is it, Master?" Erza asked but the old man didn't respond for a while as he sipped at his beer.

"A new Guild Hall..." Makarov said thoughtfully and both S-Class mages looked at him curiously. "I wonder... if perhaps it should have a new Master to go with it." He said and at that Link and Erza exchanged alarmed glances.

"Master, is everything okay?" Erza asked but Makarov didn't seem to hear her for several moments before he suddenly let out a tired sigh.

"It's nothing, just an old man rambling." He said as he shook his head.

"Master, I can always just-"

"No." Makarov cut off Link with a firm shake of his head. "Besides, the Guild Hall was due for some redecorating, anyways." He added with a grin and Link blinked before he nodded his head in consent before drinking more of his milk, an action that Erza echoed. "Link.. how much longer are you going to search for a way back to Hyrule?" Makarov asked a few minutes of silence and Link looked down at him resolutely. "It's been eight years-"

"I have to return." Link said, his tone as stern as Makarov's had been a few minutes ago, but the Guild Master pressed on.

"Why? The enemy you fought was defeated, correct?" He asked and though Erza's right eyebrow raised curiously, she chose to remain silent instead of asking questions right then. "In that case-"

"I have to return." Link's reply seemed to anger Makarov but the blonde mage didn't back down, even if he didn't understand the reason for the Guild Master's mood. However, even if he refused to back down from his decision, Link also wanted Makarov to understand. "I... have things that need to be returned." He said as he looked to the side. "People that I need to see... and things I need to make sure of." He continued and at that Makarov's eyes widened even as Erza nodded her head.

"Link has responsibilities that he will not abandon, Master." She said and Makarov turned around to look at her in surprise. "However, I don't remember hearing about this enemy you just spoke of." Erza continued as she put both of them under her scrutiny. "Would this happen to be the one who caused Link to be in such a terrible state when he appeared?" She asked severely and they both froze under her glare.

"Well, Link only mentioned it once..." Makarov started off as he rubbed the back of his head with his left hand. "Even then, he said it wasn't important." He quickly put in and Link nodded his head, his ears dipped slightly as his eyes looked to the side.

"Master, why are you bringing this up now?" Link asked a few moments later as he looked back down at Makarov.

Makarov became somber once more as he looked straight ahead for a couple of minutes before he shook his head and sighed. "Nothing, like I said before it's just an old man rambling." He said then looked up at both of them in turn. "By the way, Mirajane mentioned the two of you had gone out together to take out a single Chimaera." He cocked a curious eyebrow as he regarded them. "Still feeling a bit sore from Phantom Lord?" He asked and Erza shook her head.

"No, Link just decided on that for our team's first mission." She explained but Makarov only looked more confused than before as the two of them finished their milk. "Myself, Link, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy." Erza said and Makarov's face went blank with shock. "Excuse us, Master, but we're doing another Job tomorrow and should get some rest." She finished with a stern look at Link, who simply nodded his head before they both stood up. "Good night, Master." Erza said as the both of them jumped down and walked away.

Makarov continued to sit there for several minutes before his face twisted with horror. "WHHHAAAAAAAT?" He screamed in horror as all thoughts of retirement disappeared from his mind.

Link and Erza were walking down the street when the green-clad mage suddenly stopped as his ears flicked a couple of times. Link turned to look back at the Fairy Tail Guild Hall as he heard Makarov's scream and an expression of sympathy flashed on his face for a moment. _Sorry, Master, but I'll try to keep any collateral damage to a minimum. _He thought, fully aware of why Makarov's face had gone blank before and for his scream just now. The full strength of this team could very well wipe out a city and the careless way Natsu, Gray, and sometimes even Erza wielded their magic made it a valid nightmare for a Guild Master.

"Link?" Erza asked and he turned to see her looking at him. "What enemy was Master talking about?" She asked and Link hesitated for a few moments before he shook his head.

"An enemy of the past." Link said and her eyes narrowed. "He's no longer important, just someone I had to defeat for the ones I cared about." He said then paused as she sighed. "It's... also a long story." He added as he rubbed the back of his head and Erza gave a small sound of amusement.

"So with your way with words, it would only take a few months to drag out." Erza said with a smile and Link scratched his cheek a couple of times. "Very well, then. Good night, Link." She said and Link returned her smile then nodded his head before they split off in different directions.

_**Link's House**_

The forest was quiet as Link walked up to a large tree and looked up at his house. Situated thirty feet up in the branches of a mighty oak, this was not just something that was carved inside of a tree. Instead, it was a little larger than your average cabin, constructed with light brown wooden planks, its sloped roof made with a darker wood. There was a single window on three sides with the back sporting two windows, a single door at the front with a small porch that ended at a sturdy ladder that went all the way to the ground that Link rarely used, and a small chimney near the back of the house on the roof. The roof also had barely visible runes carved into it that offered protection from fire and lightning, as well as increasing the durability of the entire structure. The green clad mage easily jumped up to his porch and then opened the door to walk into his house.

Link paused as he closed the door and gave the first room, a 20x20 foot square, a cursory glance to see if anything was amiss. In the center of the room, his two wooden, high back, padded chairs, leafy vines carved up and down the back and winding around the legs, were still pushed in under his round table. Made of mahogany, as were the chairs, the table sported the same carvings on the edge and was six feet in diameter and nearly a foot thick with four, four foot long legs that had the vine carvings snaking around them counterclockwise.

The left wall appeared to be just one long bookshelf crammed with a variety of books, every last one of them pushed in neatly. The back wall had a small alchemy workshop set up in front of a window, with all the proper tools set up on small shelves and ingredients properly labeled and separated.

The right wall had two doors ten feet across from each other, both of them open. Each one was a bedroom, the one closer to the front of the house being Link's and the other for a possible guest; more often than not that guest was Erza.

Link took in the entire room in less than an instant and nodded his head once before he snapped his left hand's fingers and then walked over to the bookshelf as six candles spaced across the room lit up. He knew exactly what he was looking for as he stopped only once and pulled out a 10"x7" book with a leather cover dyed the exact same shade as his clothes. Link turned the book to look at the front and took in a symbol that started with a single point that arced upward gracefully to the right before it split into two different directions. The left line arced up and gradually came back to the right before coming to an end at a thin point while the right line arced for a few inches before suddenly twisting back around like a curling vine. A thin line connected the end of the left branch to the curve of the right one as it started its inward twist, and a small smile came to Link as he looked at the near identical copy of the Spiritual Stone of the Forest etched on the cover.

After a minute, he gave himself a mental shake and took the book over to the table and sat down on the chair closest to the bookshelves. He then reached under the table and pulled, revealing a small drawer built into the table that contained two inkwells and a quill topped with a pure white feather.

_"So with your way with words, it would only take a few months to drag out." _Erza's words echoed in his head as Link sat down at the table, his gloves now gone. He knew that his closest friend was right and a small chuckle came from him as he dipped the quill in the inkwell with his right hand and used his left hand to skim through the word-filled pages until he came up to an empty one, the golden triangle glinting slightly in the dim light.

Two years ago, Link had started to wonder if he would in fact be able to find his way back to Hyrule. He didn't intend to stop, but he was smart enough to realize that something might happen to him before he found a way or before the Sages, his friends, located him. It was during that time he had been in a shop and the green leather book caught his eye. When he looked at it in the display and saw the symbol on the cover, he knew exactly how he could at least ensure the return of the Master Sword and the Ocarina of Time.

Link could never properly explain what had happened to him, not verbally at any rate. In written form, however, there was a way he might get across a fraction of the horror he had stopped. In written form, there would be no pauses but that the reader might take, there would be no attempt at playing down events that even Erza would have trouble accepting. There would only be the truth of what happened and what still needed to be done should he fall.

Though it was hardly necessarily, Link still turned back a page to ensure he correctly remembered where he had left off.

_Despite the words of the Great Fairy, or perhaps because of them, I knew I had no choice but to go and face down the one who had caused so much suffering. With Navi at my side, I hardened my resolve and walked across the bridge of light created by my friends for the final confrontation with Ganondorf. _

His eyes narrowed for a few moments as he vividly recalled that exact moment before he turned the page back to the empty one. _It looks like I'll finish tonight. _He thought before he started writing.

Link's eyes snapped open at the sound of his door opening and he quickly brought his head up from where it was resting on the pages of his book. When he saw Erza walk in with Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Lucy trailing in after her, he blinked in surprise before he fully noticed the sunlight coming in from his windows.

"I see you were up late again." Erza said with a tolerant smile and Link hesitated before he offered a sheepish grin in return. "Are you ready?" She asked and got a nod that was quickly followed by a yawn as he opened up his drawer and placed the stoppered inkwell and quill back in.

"Huh? What's that you're working on?" Natsu asked as he pointed at the book and Link looked down at it before he closed then picked it up.

"Is it a book?" Lucy asked curiously, wondering if she had found a fellow aspiring author, but Link shook his head.

"Just notes." He answered as he turned to put the book back in its place the bookshelf. Link's expression became questioning as he turned around to face them and Erza nodded her head.

"Come on, everyone, let's go." Erza said and everyone piled out and jumped down with the exception of Lucy, who was flown down by Happy. Link cast one more look back at the bookshelf then snapped his left hand as he Requipped his leather gloves. When all the candles extinguished he walked out and closed the door behind him to follow everyone to the train station.

* * *

Into the Past: Fire Dragons and Mysteries

Makarov stood outside the Fairy Tail Guild Hall next to a young boy with spiky, pink hair and wide, curious black eyes. He was dressed in a red, long-sleeved, button-up shirt, yellow pants, and a white, scale-like scarf around his neck with a pack on his back.

"Do fairies really have tails?" Makarov was saying to the boy as they both looked up at the building. "Do they even exist?" He asked then looked over at the awestruck kid. "Like them, this place is an eternal mystery... a never-ending adventure." He said with a wide smile as the boy's eyes glittered with excitement. "What do you say, Natsu? Want to take a look inside?" Makarov asked and Natsu quickly looked over and nodded his head.

Natsu was a blur of movement as he ran through the Guild Hall and took everything in. He had never seen so many people in one place together, and the old man had said that each and every one of them was a mage!

He came to an abrupt stop when he came up to a table with two girls and a boy about his age that shared white hair and blue eyes. One of the girls, who had her long hair done in a ponytail and wore revealing black clothes, black thigh-high boots, and a black choker, looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and irritation. "Who are you?" She demanded and Natsu immediately crossed his arms over his chest.

"Who are you?" He demanded in return, irritated by her tone, and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Now, now, Nee-chan, no need to fight." The tall boy in the blue suit said nervously before he turned to smile at Natsu. "My name is Elfman. This my older sister, Mirajane." He said as he indicated the long haired girl. "And this is my little sister, Lisanna." Elfman continued as he indicated the smaller girl with the short hair and pink dress.

"My name's Natsu. Nice to meet you." Natsu immediately replied with a wide smile before he took off again.

"... the hell was that about?" Mirajane asked but her siblings could only shake their heads and shrug.

"Maybe he's a new member?" Lisanna asked and got a sigh from her older sister at the idea.

While Natsu was running around, Link and Erza, both dressed in their usual attire and usual weaponry, stood in front of the Job Request Board as they tried to decide on a new Job to do. Their eyes flicked back and forth as they read the descriptions before a loud crash drew their attention.

"You got a problem, squinty eyes?" Gray, dressed only in blue shorts and a necklace with a sword pendant, was demanding of someone they had never seen before and Erza sighed.

"I'll go and make sure it doesn't erupt into a fight." She said as she turned and walked towards the scene, her scabbard swaying slightly as she walked.

Link watched her walk away for a few moments and then turned back to the Board. _By beating them into submission so they don't _want _to fight. _He thought in a mixture of resignation and amusement then continued to look for a while before he paused at one of the jobs. After a couple more seconds he took the Job from the Board.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" A sudden loud voice demanded, followed quickly by, "Are you freaking insane?" Two loud screams were heard shortly after as Erza knocked both Natsu and Gray to the ground and Link sighed.

Makarov looked over as Link walked over and smiled as he read the description. "Should be a challenge for the two of you." He said then his eyes twinkled. "As well as help out all these people a great deal." He added and Link nodded his head emphatically.

"My name's Natsu, a Fire Dragon Slayer." The voice that had demanded to know who Erza was suddenly declared and Link's eyes flicked a couple of times as he looked over at the scene then back at Makarov. Fairy Tail's Guild Master simply nodded his head at the unspoken question even as others looked over in shock. "From a dragon, of course." Natsu answered someone's question as if it should be obvious and Link's eyes went wide.

"You're crazy, there's no such thing as dragons." Gray said when he had recovered from his surprise and Natsu snapped a glare at him.

"Yes, there are." Link said as he walked up, his eyes burning with intensity. "What was the dragon's name?" He asked as he ignored everyone's surprise and Natsu blinked in surprise at the question.

"Igneel." Natsu said and Link blinked before he gave a sigh of relief. "Wait... you know another dragon?" Natsu asked and Link paused for a few moments. "Where is he?" He immediately closed in on Link as he sensed the others uncertainty.

"Dead." Link finally said coldly and immediately regretted his decision.

"EEEHHHHHHHHHH?!" Almost everyone's loud yell of surprise made the poor mage grab his sensitive ears as his face tightened in pain against the noise.

Minutes later, Link was sitting at a table with Makarov, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Cana, Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna. Since there were no more seats, everyone else was content to huddle around the table and listen in.

"You killed a dragon?" Natsu asked with wide eyes but Mirajane made a small sound of contempt.

"As if this guy could kill an actual dragon." She said with a dismissive wave of her hand that got her a glare from Erza.

"The person who did it was between seventeen and eighteen years old." Link said after a few moments of silence as he looked down at the table. "He barely won, and only with a weapon enchanted specifically to fight against dragons." He said then went silent.

"What was the dragon's name?" Natsu asked after a few seconds and Link's eyes narrowed.

Everyone but Erza and Makarov suddenly leaned back as they felt something they hadn't felt from the young mage before. A pulse of raw anger radiated from Link for a moment before it disappeared again. "It's not worth talking about." He said then got up and walked to the door.

Erza shot a questioning glance at Makarov and got a nod in return from him. "We'll back in a couple of weeks at the most, Master." She said then got up and followed him out. _Master saw it, too... _Erza thought as she caught up then walked beside Link to the train station. _He wasn't just angry... he had the weight of sorrow and guilt as well. _She was surprised at the realization before her own expression fell slightly. "So, what are we going to do?" Erza suddenly asked as she turned her head slightly to look at him and he blinked before he handed her the Job.

Back in the Guild Hall, Natsu continued to look at the door where Link and Erza had left while everyone else shook their heads and went back to their own business. "What was that guy's problem?" Natsu asked and Gray, still seated next to him, shook his head.

"Might as well as guess what's inside a closed vault." He grumbled then got up and stretched his arms up. "Think I'll get a Job as well." Gray walked off at that before he froze then looked down at himself. "Gah! Where did my clothes go? He yelled in shock and Natsu looked over at him in confusion; he had only seen him wearing those blue shorts from the beginning.

"I'll be on the bar if you need anything, Natsu." Makarov said as he got up and started to walk over.

"Hey, old man." Natsu said and Makarov stopped to look back at him. "I've only been here for five minutes and I've already found two mysteries. How many more are there?" Makarov looked at him seriously for a few moments before breaking out into a wide smile.

"Only one way to find out, don't you think?" Makarov asked then turned back to go the bar.

Natsu looked at him in surprise for a while before his own smile started to form. "Hey, Gramps! Tell me more about these job things!" He called out as he ran up to him.

* * *

Thanks to Vandenbz for beta reading once again.

If anyone's interested in another good read for Legend of Zelda/Fairy Tail Crossover, try Fairy Boy Forgotten by Icy Cake. Good story so far and... well, I'm not going to ruin anything.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	33. Loke's Strange Behavior

Chapter Twenty-Seven

A soft, lilting tune filled the air as Link, sitting on a large rock, played on the Ocarina of Time.

_Do do doo, do do doo, do do doo do doooo._

Anyone listening to the pleasant melody would have had images of a large plain with the sun overhead as a gentle breeze made small waves through the bright green grass. Of course, anyone listening might have been distracted by the yells of pain coming from the castle ruins forty feet away.

Link seemed completely absorbed as he played Epona's Song while a solitary figure crept closer to the castle ruins and hid behind a large boulder. The figure had seen the initial assault of Erza, Gray, Happy, Lucy, and Natsu as they went into the ruins and couldn't help but wonder why the powerful mage was letting his nakama fight alone as he seemed to just relax outside. The figure was still wondering when Link suddenly disappeared in a green flash. Dark blue eyes went wide in surprise before the figure froze as the edge of a sword rested gently against her pale neck.

"Juvia of the Deep." Link said coolly as he looked down at the the blue tresses and dress of the water mage. Her expression quickly went from shock to a mixture of surprise and a hint of fear as she looked down at the blade then tried to glance back at Link. "Your intentions don't seem to be hostile... why are you following us?" He asked as he kept the Gilded Sword at her neck.

"Juvia doesn't want to fight." She replied in an equally cool voice as her surprise faded and her face assumed a more neutral expression. "May Juvia turn and look at you?" She asked as she looked forward. She knew was caught, but even if she hadn't been she truly didn't wish to fight. Not only because this man had utterly decimated the Phantom Lord Castle and then handily defeated Aria, along with Erza. Not even because he then went on to defeat Jose despite his injuries and exhaustion through superior tactics and a well-placed Unison Raid, a rare and super powerful joining of magic that still filled her with shock and awe. Rather, it was because she hoped for something else.

Link found he was more curious than worried by Juvia's presence. He wouldn't put revenge past members of the former Guild, but what he knew of Juvia indicated a higher tactical ability than attacking a group that contained some of Fairy Tail's strongest mages by herself. After only a couple of seconds he Ex-Equipped the Gilded Sword and took a couple of steps back to give her room to move.

Juvia calmly turned to face Link, not sure what to expect. She saw a hint of wariness in his eyes, but otherwise seemed to hold no grudge for the attack she had been part of. _Could it be possible? _She wondered hopefully, though she tried to keep any hint of it from her face. "When did you notice Juvia?" She asked instead as she folded her hands together in front of her.

Link didn't respond for a minute as he regarded her curiously. Despite her efforts, he had noticed the quick flicker of hope in her eyes and he thought he might know what it signified. Not quite certain of his guess, though, he decided to wait and see before commenting on it. "The previous Job with the rogue mages." He said and Juvia's eyes flared in surprise for a moment before she sighed.

"I see. So after waiting to see what Juvia would do, you decided to ask directly." She said and Link nodded his head before he tilted his head curiously.

"Oi! Link! You still out here?" Gray suddenly called out and Link blinked before he leaned back out from behind the boulder. Even as he gave a small wave he noticed the sudden blush that came to Juvia's face before she disappeared in a burst of water. "What are you doing over there?" The ice mage, amazingly still wearing his blue and white jacket over a black shirt, asked as he headed over. As he made his way the others walked out of the ruins, Happy perched on Natsu's right shoulder. Link looked at where Juvia had been then back at Gray as his eyes narrowed slightly and the ice mage immediately stopped as he looked at Link curiously. "What?" He asked when Link's eyes twinkled in amusement.

Link simply shook his head, though, as he walked around to join them. He cocked his head when they were all together and Erza nodded in answer to his unspoken question before she looked at him with an arched eyebrow. Link nodded in return then looked over as Natsu fumed with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I didn't get to rampage enough!" Natsu suddenly yelled crossly as he glared down at the ground.

"Then you clearly didn't notice the two new doors for the castle." Gray sighed as he shook his head.

"Hey, Lucy." Happy said as he jumped up on a large rock next to her. "Look at this jewel I found." He said with a wide smile as he held up a diamond half as large as his head.

Lucy looked down at him with wide eyes before she snatched the diamond from him. "You can't just take things like that!" She yelled as she snatched the diamond from him. "This stuff needs to be returned the proper owners!" She scolded the blue cat and Happy blinked before he sighed. Lucy continued to glare at him for a few seconds. "Unbelievable..." She finally said as she shook her head disapprovingly.

"Well, let's head back and get another Job." Natsu said with a disappointed sigh. "I still feel like going on a real rampage." He added as he slammed his now flame-covered fists together while he gave a feral smile.

"Wait a minute." Lucy said as she turned to look at everyone. "We completed this Job early, right?" She asked and got a nod from Erza after she and Link exchanged curious looks. "How about we take a night off at the nearby spa town?" She suggested with a wide smile. Though she did like the idea of relaxing, Lucy also wanted to visit the town for its sights.

Hosenka Town had been designed by a duke that had an interest in all things oriental. The wonderful spas and the design brought in a multitude of tourists until it was decided to make it flashier to encourage the tourism, quickly transforming it into the most popular spa town in Magnolia. Unfortunately, its flamboyant design and high tourism rate also brought in some unsavory characters, but even that did little to reduce its appeal.

Everyone looked at her in surprise before Erza sighed as she closed her eyes and put her right hand on her hip. "Lucy..." Erza started slowly and Lucy froze then swallowed nervously while Natsu and Gray exchanged concerned looks. "That's a wonderful idea." She continued as she reopened her eyes and gave Lucy a warm smile. "I think some R and R is a good idea to celebrate our third mission." Erza stated and Natsu, Gray, and Lucy all sighed in relief while Link looked at Erza questioningly. She merely returned his look with a questioning expression of her own and, after a few seconds, he just offered up a small shrug then a small grin. "It's decided." Erza said firmly then walked over to grab her wagon of suitcases.

While the six of them walked down the road, they spotted a figure slowly meandering his way in the same direction they were walking. "Hey..." Lucy said as she caught sight of short, orange. "Loke, is that you?!" She called out as they got closer and the ring mage immediately turned around, his surprise evident behind his azure-tinted sunglasses.

"This is a coincidence." Gray commented with a friendly grin as he put his left hand into his jacket pocket.

"Man, imagine running into you out here." Natsu said as they walked up to him. "You on a Job?" He asked as he held out his right hand.

"Yeah, you guys, too?" Loke asked as he took Natsu's hand, the small lacrima crystal on his magic ring glinting slightly in the sunlight. Loke was dressed in his usual attire; a dark green coat with a wide collar, complete with prominent, spiky, brownish white fur trimming lining the hood, over an orange shirt with a black, menacing skill on the front with its eyes covered by a pair of bands. He also wore a pair of baggy black pants riddled with deep pockets and a pair of dark brown sneakers with a black line going horizontally over the top.

"Aha, just the person I've been trying to find." Lucy said brightly as she walked up to Loke. "I wanted to thank you for-"

"LUCY?!" Loke yelled as he flinched away with over the top panic. "Well, I've got work to do." He said quickly as he raised his right hand up in a small gesture of farewell before he took off in a sprint.

Everyone was silent as they watched the rapidly disappearing Loke run towards the spa town as if the hounds of hell were chasing him. None of them was as surprised as Lucy by his reaction, which was saying something considering the looks Gray and Natsu were giving her, as she watched with an expression of blank shock for several seconds. "What..." She said slowly as her face slowly turned from shock to indignant anger. "What the hell is that guy's problem?" She demanded angrily as her hands tightened into fists.

"What did you do to him?" Gray asked and Lucy turned to glare at him only to see everyone else looking at her speculatively.

"I didn't do anything!" She denied angrily before crossing her arms in a huff then turned to continue to the town.

_**Hosenka Town - That Night**_

Steam rose up from the hot water at the back of the ryokan as Lucy walked out with a towel wrapped around herself, the cloth barely preserving her modesty. "Sheesh..." She sighed as she took off her towel and slipped into the hot water until she was submerged up to her neck. Lucy immediately gave a happy sound of relaxation as she moved further into the spa. "Ahhh... I needed this." She said contentedly as she went to the far side and turned to lean her heard against the edge. She closed her eyes as she just enjoyed the soothing warmth of the water and steam; her muscles fully relaxing for the first time in a good while. Minutes passed unnoticed as she dozed in and out under the moon before she slowly opened her eyes with discontent in her eyes. "What's that Loke's deal?" She asked unhappily as she tried to figure out why Loke was so afraid of her.

Before she could contemplate it further, the sound of someone standing up in the water behind her made her turn around. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw Erza's silhouette standing tall behind a screen of steam. "The moon is beautiful tonight, don't you think?" She asked as she put a hand on her hip and a slight metallic sound made Lucy's eyes narrow in confusion.

_She couldn't still be in her armor... could she? _Lucy wondered before the steam shifted enough to reveal that Erza had indeed entered the water with her normal armor still on. "E-Erza... why are you still in that?" Lucy asked uncertainly as she pointed at the armor.

Erza looked down at her breastplate for a few seconds before she looked to the side uncertainly as she put her right hand against the armor while a small blush formed on her face. "W-well... I find it easier to relax while I'm alone when I'm wearing my armor." She explained and a flash of some emotion Lucy didn't understand flickered in her brown eyes for an instant.

"But doesn't feel weird to be wearing your armor right now?" Lucy asked with an amused and confused smile as she tried to convince Erza to fully enjoy the spa.

"Y...yes, it does." The red-head admitted after a few seconds then closed her eyes. A couple of seconds later she Ex-Equipped everything she had on as she continued to stand before Lucy.

The blonde's eyes went wide at the jaw-dropping sight of the naked, voluptuous red-head. Confident in her own body, arrogant at times in fact, Lucy still felt inadequate as she looked upon Erza's firm yet supple curves. "Y-you're just as amazing without the armor." She said in disbelief.

Erza made a small sound of amusement at Lucy's words before she put her right hand on her hip. "Is that so?" She asked as she looked to the side thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should walk around the Guild like this." She said and Lucy's eyes went wide as she made a strangled gasp of surprise. Erza held the pose for a few more seconds before she smirked and gave a soft laugh. "I was only kidding." She said as she slipped back under the water.

"I... I see..." Lucy said uncertainly as she continued to look at Erza for a while longer, who sighed and leaned back to enjoy the water. "Hey, Erza, do you mind if I ask you something?" Lucy asked as she started to relax as well and Erza lazily opened one eye. "What Job did Link get that scar on his chest?" She asked and Erza was quiet for a couple of minutes. Lucy started to fidget uncomfortably and gulped nervously, not sure if she had asked something she shouldn't have.

"Link got that scar before I knew him." Erza finally answered and Lucy blinked in surprise. "I don't know how he got it, but I can tell it came from a sword." She said before she paused to look up at the moon.

Lucy was quiet as she regarded Erza, now lost in thought, for a couple of minutes before she cleared her throat. "Have you ever asked Link about it?" She asked and Erza actually smirked in amusement at the question.

"The most I could expect is what kind of sword was used." Erza said with a soft laugh and even Lucy giggled as she accepted the truth of that. "To be honest, before you started asking Link about Hyrule I assumed he didn't wish to speak about it at all." She went on after a little bit and Lucy looked at her curiously. "Do you know how Link came to join Fairy Tail?" Erza asked and Lucy paused for a few moments before she shook her head. "He appeared out of thin air, covered in blood and barely conscious." She said and Lucy's eyes went wide with shock. "When we tried to find out what had happened, all we could get out of him was that it didn't matter anymore. I guess, considering how little he wanted to talk about certain events, I just assumed he didn't want to talk about Hyrule." She said thoughtfully as she started to languidly kick the water.

"Or maybe..." Lucy trailed off uncertainly but Erza was already looking over at her. "Well... I don't know Link as well as you do, but I can see he's not very good at telling stories." She started slowly and Erza nodded her head. "Also, Gray said that Link likes to downplay things, and I know he likes to keep things simple and to the point." She continued more confidently and now there was curiousity reflected in Erza's brown eyes as she stopped kicking the water. "Do you remember what Link said he was writing that morning we all went to get him for the Job with those former Titan Nose mages?" The blonde asked and got a nod of confirmation.

"Link said they were just notes." Erza said before her eyes widened as she caught on to what Lucy was getting at. "I see, perhaps they're notes from his adventures while he was in Hyrule... even including what happened before he was sent here." She said then nodded her head. "Perhaps I'll ask if he would mind letting me read it." She said and now it was Lucy's turn to look in surprise. "A person's past is their own business." Erza said in answer to Lucy's expression. "Sometimes it's best to leave it be." She said as she looked to the side while pain flashed in her eyes for a moment.

Lucy looked at Erza uncertainly for a few moments, sensing a deeper meaning in her words, when the red-haired mage suddenly looked at her and smirked. "Eh?" She asked curiousy before she was suddenly hit with a small wave of water from the blade mage. Lucy sputtered for a few seconds before she retaliated with a splash of her own.

* * *

Gray yawned as he laid down on the bed roll in a white and blue sleeping yukata; ready to pass out after the nice, relaxing soak. Of course, it was at that moment that Natsu, in the same, though disheveled, yukata, slammed open the sliding door with a couple of pillows in his arms. "It's time!" The Dragon Slayer announced with a feral smile and Happy pumped his own pillow in the air with a wide smile, the cat actually wearing a yukata small enough to fit him.

"Aye!"

The ice mage looked over irritably at the loud troublemaker. "Shut up, will you?" He demanded then gave another yawn. "I feel like getting some sleep, so go bother someone else." Gray said then closed his eyes in the hope that Natsu would go bother someone else.

He wasn't that lucky. "Come on, we're in a real ryokan." Natsu said excitedly as he waved his right hand around, the pillow still firmly in his grasp. "Everyone knows when you're at a ryokan, you gotta have a pillow brawl!" He declared with a fierce smile and Gray sat up as his left eyebrow cocked.

"Don't you mean a pillow fight?" Gray asked with a blank stare before all three looked as Erza walked in the room with Lucy in tow. Erza had her yukata on properly and secured snugly while Lucy had the front opened enough to show a fair amount of cleavage.

"Fufufu..." Erza laughed softly as she took a ready stance, four pillows tucked under each arm. "I have already secured the best pillows. You fools have no chance." She said and Natsu's smile returned full force.

"The "best pillows"?" Lucy asked with a disbelieving smile while Natsu got between Erza and the door.

"You're going down, Erza!" Natsu declared and Gray gave a resigned sigh as he shook his head back and forth. "Take th-OOMPH!" He started to yell before he was sent to the ground courtesy of a downward pillow strike from Link as the blonde appeared behind him wearing his own yukata, snugly secured, with no green cap. In the same action of the left strike, his right hand sent another pillow at Erza; who narrowly avoided the throw by slipping to her left.

Gray's eyes went wide the instant before the pillow slammed into his face and sent him crashing to the floor, the impact dislodging his kimono. "Why you..." He growled out as he quickly got back up. "Let me get one- eh?" Gray looked down in surprise to see a pile of eight pillows suddenly under his right hand. Not questioning the odd event, the ice mage quickly slipped his arms out of the top half of his kimono and sent a barrage of pillows at Erza, Natsu, and Link. Unknown to him, a certain water mage watched on with a happy blush, delighted that she had been able to help him out.

Natsu quickly rolled out of the way of the barrage while Erza sent out two of her own pillows to clear a path for herself. Link simply grabbed one out of the air before using it and his original one to bat away the rest.

Lucy watched them continue to play for a few seconds before she gave a wide smile. "Alright then," She said said as she hitched up her left sleeve. "I think I'll join in as- EEEK!" Lucy screamed as three pillows simultaneously slammed into her. She was sent flying out of the room through the back doors to and hit the ground outside with a resounding thud. "Th... they're not human..." The blonde moaned as she lay there in a daze for several seconds.

Lucy blinked as she felt someone taking the pillows off of her and looked up to see Link removing the last one before he offered her his left hand. As dazed as she was from the attack, she still noticed the three triangle tattoo on the back of his hand, the bottom right one a deep gold. "Thanks." She said as she took his hand and was pulled up to her feet. Link nodded his head then glanced back at the continuing pillow brawl. His ears flicked as he looked back at her and scratched his cheek while he gave a small, embarrassed smile. "It's okay, I should've known better than to try and get involved." Lucy said with an understanding smile. "I think I'll just go and take a walk." She said and Link hesitated as he looked at her uncertainly. "Don't worry, I'll be okay." She said with a confident grin and after a couple of seconds Link nodded his head before he leapt back into the fray. Lucy turned around and started to walk away before she suddenly froze. "Did... did I just have a conversation with someone who wasn't talking?" She asked out loud then took off as she grabbed her head with both hands. "This craziness is getting to me!" She wailed as she ran down the street, making several people look at her with wide eyes.

* * *

Lucy sighed as she walked down the street with Plue; a small, white figure that walked upright on two paws while another pair of paws served as its hands, an oversized white head, and an orange nose that resembled a unicorn horn. The small spirit had a yukata of its own properly secured. "I can't believe I actually got used to Link's not-talking." She said as she shook her head mournfully. "And that "pillow brawl"... are those guys even human?" She asked with another sigh of exasperation.

"Puuun." Plue remarked as it shivered, a never-ending occurence for the Celestial Spirit.

"Well, Happy's a cat." Lucy corrected herself then looked down at Plue with a bright smile. "And you're a dog, right?"

"Puu-puun." It remarked as it thrust one paw into the air with a smile of its own. "Actually... I'm a human, puun." It added and Lucy gave a warm giggle.

"Is that right?" She asked before she froze as her eyes popped open. "Whhaaa?!" Lucy screamed in shock as she took a step back from Plue. "You're human... wait, you can talk?!" She asked as she looked down at Plue incredulously.

"Aye!" Plue said as it thrust both paws in the air.

"A... aye?" Lucy asked as her shock faded and her right eyebrow started to twitch in aggravation.

"I'm actually a servant of a hero with a magic stone, pu-puun." Ill-concealed chuckling punctuated the sentence and Lucy looked over irritably at a nearby bush.

"Haha, very funny. Now stop messing around and get out here, right now." She ordered and after a few seconds Happy peeked out from behind the bush.

"Awww..." Happy pouted as he looked at Lucy. "I thought that I could keep you fooled for at least a week." He said and got another eye twitch from her.

"Thank you for the flattery." Lucy said dryly as she glared down at the blue cat before she shook her head and started to walk again.

"Hey, where you going, Lucy?" Happy asked as he and Plue followed her.

"Since I wouldn't last two seconds back there..." Lucy trailed off with a sigh. "I'm just walking around." She finished with a resigned shrug and Happy nodded his head.

"Hee~~y there, beautiful." Someone suddenly said and she stopped and looked to her left in surprise to see two men walking towards her. "You look nice in that yukata... you sightseeing?" The same man who had first called out asked with a greasy smile. Dressed in a white, button-up shirt and black slacks, this man had wavy, light purple hair and squinted eyes on a head that continuously moved back and forth at high speeds.

"The two of us, we came from over from Oshibana, yeah?" The other man said as he struck a cross-armed pose. This one wore a black shirt with a white square on the chest area with different symbols on it with a pair a khaki pants. He wore a black ski-cap over light brown hair, had brown eyes, and wore an abundance of fake looking jewelry. "How about you come with us for a drink, yeah? It'll be funky." He said with his own greasy smile.

"No thanks." Lucy said immediately as she continued on with her walk. "Besides, I already have company." She added primly, wanting nothing to do with these two weirdos.

"Oh, come on..." The head shifter said as the two of them followed her down the street. "Just for a _little _while?" He asked in a wheedling tone.

"Sorry, but no!" Lucy repeated firmly, not even bothering to glance over her shoulder.

"Besides, when you say "company", do you just mean that cat and that..." The shifter trailed off after describing Happy as he and ski-cap looked blankly at Plue.

"Puuun." It said as the two of them tried to figure out what to call Plue.

"Well, whatever." Ski-cap said as he moved up to grab Lucy's arm. "We don't mind if you bring your funky friends along, so, let's go, yeah?" He said as head shifter came up to grab her shoulders.

"Pushy, aren't you?" Lucy sighed before she looked over at Happy. "Happy, do something, will you?" She asked with a bored expression on her face.

"Meo~w." The blue cat replied then turned his head to hold in a chuckle.

"Meow?!" Lucy screamed angrily at the little trickster. "Why you little-!" She fumed as she glared at him.

"Talking to the little cat, huh?" Head shifter remarked with a chuckle. "How cute."

"Shut up!" She snapped at him then started to pull her arm back. "Listen, you guys... just cut it out." Lucy said before her eyes widened in surprise as her arm stopped moving. _What the... my body... _She thought as she looked down at her suddenly compliant form. _I... I can't move?! _She quickly looked back up at the two men with sudden unease.

"Whaddya say?" Head shifter asked as his greasy smile became an evil smirk. "Why don't you play with us for a while?" He asked with a dark chuckle as ski-cap nodded his head.

"Yeah, let's make it a real _funky_ night, yeah?" He asked with an evil smile and Lucy gulped nervously.

_Are these two.. mages? _She wondered as her eyes flicked to try and find an escape. _This is bad... _She thought when nothing presented itself when suddenly head shifter was sent flying from a powerful right hook. "Huh?" Lucy said uncertainly as head shifter slammed to the ground and coughed up blood.

"What the... who the hell do you think you- GUAH!" Ski-cap's rant was cut short by a jumping right roundhouse kick to the jaw and he quickly joined head shifter on the ground, both of them out cold.

"Ahhh!" Happy exhaled excitedly as he crouched down slightly and brought both paws up in a fist next to his hips.

"Pupu!" Plue declared as he mimicked Happy's pose.

The figure who had so quickly knocked out the two landed lightly on his feet an instant after ski-cap hit the ground and stood there for a few moments before he turned back to look at Lucy. "You all right?" Loke asked with an easy grin and Lucy's eyes went wide.

"Loke?!" She said in surprise and the ring mage immediately disappeared behind a screen of bamboo.

"S-sorry." Loke said as he peaked around the plants and Lucy blinked in surprise and confusion. "Those punks are actually mages that have been preying on young woman. I'm on a Job to take them in." He explained and Lucy's expression cleared in understanding before she stood up. "Well," Loke said as he crouched down to grab the two punks. "I'll just take these two and-"

"Hold on." Lucy implored and Loke paused as he looked nervously at the ground. "Can't I get you a drink to thank you?" She asked and Loke hesitated for several seconds before he swallowed nervously then nodded his head reluctantly.

_**Fairy Tail - Next Day**_

Natsu and Gray glared at each other with murder in their eyes while several other mages looked on with a mixture of curiosity and concern reflected on their faces. Natsu had bandages wrapped over his forehead and both forearms with a bandage attached to his right cheek. Gray wasn't much better off with bandages wrapped around his lower torso and both of his forearms.

"What's up with them?" Elfman asked a smiling Mirajane, curious if she knew what was going on.

"I heard they got hurt in a pillow fight during their last Job." She answered cheerfully and the big man looked down at her in disbelief.

"Is that even possible?" He asked incredulously but his sister could only shrug.

Juvia looked on, hidden behind a large sheet and some lumber, with concern in her eyes. _I hope Gray-sama is okay. _She thought as she watched two quietly glare.

The silence was brought to an end as Gray opened his mouth. "Why the hell do you have to take even a pillow fight seriously?" He demanded angrily as his right hand clenched into a fist.

"I put my all into everything I do!" Natsu retorted hotly.

"And yet you still lost!" Gray shot back and Natsu's eyes flared angrily.

"I had you beat, easily!" Natsu declared as everyone looked on in disbelief.

"Lucy!" They both said as they turned to blonde as she sat at the bar eating a lunch that consisted of steak, mashed potatoes, and salad; now dressed in a blank, low-cut tank top and khaki mini-skirt. "I won, didn't I?" They both demanded and in response she slowly put down her fork and knife.

Lucy grudgingly turned to fix them both with a glare worthy of Erza and their own glares disappeared in a jolt of fear that had them taking an involuntary step back. "Knock. It. Off." She said glacially and they both gulped nervously as they looked down.

"So-sorry." They immediately apologized and a few people gave low whistles at the sight.

"I've never seen anyone stop those two from arguing except Erza." One man said and the woman next to him nodded her head in amazement.

"Hmph." Lucy primly turned away from them after that noise of dismissal and returned to her meal.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Happy asked as he hopped his away up on to the bar counter but Lucy just took a savage bite of steak from her fork. "Are you still angry about that prank I pulled?" He asked uncertainly and Lucy blinked in surprise.

"Of course not." She said with a firm shake of her head. "Do I really look that uptight to you?" Lucy asked and Happy blinked as he cocked his head to the side. "It's just..." The blonde trailed off before she sighed. "I just have a lot on my mind is all." She said as her eyes narrowed angrily.

_"Ahahaha!" Loke's amused laughter made Lucy step back in a mixture of horror and surprise. "Fooled you, didn't I?" He asked as he shook his head with a smirk. "That's a little trick I use when I'm after a girl, it's a great way to get some sympathy." He said with a wink and a slow rage started to build on Lucy's face. "Well, what do you-" The orange-haired mage was cut off as Lucy dealt him a strong slap._

"Do you want to talk about it?" Happy's question brought Lucy back to the present and she shook her head.

"No thanks." She said then paused for a moment before she gave him a small smile. "Thanks for the offer, though." She added as she tried to dismiss her surliness and Happy smiled in return.

"Hey, is Loke here?" Lucy blinked at the unfamiliar, female voice and looked over to see a group of seven women clustered in front of a surprised Mirajane.

"Where's Loke?" Another woman asked as she leaned over the bar aggressively towards Mirajane.

"He's gone too far, this time!" Another woman declared angrily.

"Who are all of you?" A different woman asked as she looked around at the others.

"Loke, where are you?" A sobbing woman called out as she looked around the room.

Lucy watched the crowd with wide eyes for a few seconds, trying to make sense of things. "What's going on?" She finally asked.

"They're girls from the city." Happy said as he pointed unnecessarily at them. "It looks like they're all claiming to be Loke's girlfriend." He added before the group started up again.

"Loke... he... he broke up with me last night!" One woman tearfully declared.

"What? He broke up with me!" Another one said and the call continued on as Lucy's eyes widened in surprise.

_"Lucy..." Loke said with sad, solemn eyes before he pulled her into a hug. Lucy gave a small squeal of surprise at the sudden action before she blinked as she felt Loke shaking. "I... don't have much time left." _

_Could he...? _Lucy wondered as she replayed that solemnity with the way he had broken into wild laughter when she tried to question him about it before the continuing wails broke her concentration.

"Why would he say that?!"

"Has he found some other dream girl?!"

"Is she in the Guild?!"

Mirajane tried to wave them back to no avail. "I... I don't..." She tried to say but the group only started to grow more agitated. "Lucy!" She suddenly called out as she appealed to the blonde and immediately the group turned hungry eyes on her. "Please help me!"

"Eh?" Lucy said in surprise as she a powerful killing intent wash over her as the group started to walk towards her.

"Could she be...?"

"She _is _kind of cute..."

"And she has a big chest..."

"She must be Loke's new girl."

Lucy quickly took off at the last sentence in a panic and the group of angry woman were hot on her trail. "I'm not involved in this!" She screamed as she ran but her pursuers were not in any mood to listen.

_**Forest Outside Magnolia City**_

Link grunted as he was sent flying through the trees then spun his body to place his feet against a tree trunk in his path and moved in a blur to launch back at his opponent, Erza. Erza, not content to wait, launched forward in a blur of motion to meet Link in mid-air and the resulting impact sent a shockwave that shook the trees.

The two exchanged a flurry of punches for several seconds before Link shifted to catch Erza's right arm and threw her to the ground. This time it was the armored mage who grunted but rolled with the momentum to quickly regain her feet in time to defend against Link's assault. A straight right from the blonde was narrowly deflected by the red head's left forearm and her knee came up to block a rising kick before it could gain too much momentum.

Erza's defense went on for a good while as she waited for the smallest opening. Her patience was rewarded as she sent a palm heel strike at Link's chest, who quickly leapt back with the blow to steal some of its power. The tables were turned as now Link was on the defensive against Erza's furious barrage for almost five minutes before he just seemed to disappear from view. Brown eyes went wide before she quickly jumped up pivoted to put her hand down as Link's kick narrowly missed his nimble opponent.

In almost the same motion, Link's arms came up in a cross guard as Erza sent an armored kick down from her position and the ground cracked under Link's feet. The blonde heaved up and tossed her back as he brought his leg down and Erza landed lightly a dozen feet away from him.

They both looked at each for several seconds, evaluating, before they both launched forward again to engage in hand to hand.

* * *

The sun had just finished setting as Link and Erza slowly walked into his house and the blonde snapped his fingers to ignite the candles. In a few minutes Link had pulled a magic cooler from his pouch and placed it by the table while Erza went to the bookshelf. He pulled out two bottles of milk and placed one before each chair.

"Link..." Erza suddenly said and he turned around to look at her curiously before his eyes went wide when he saw the green book in her hands. She was holding the book in front of her breastplate as she looked at him with uncertain eyes. "What are these notes of?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

Link remained silent for several, long moments as he looked between the book and Erza before he leaned against the table with a sigh. "Hyrule." He said simply and Erza glanced down at the book. "Starting from when I left Kokiri Village to shortly before I appeared in Fairy Tail." He went on after a few more seconds of silence.

"I see..." Erza said as she looked back up at him then turned around to place it back on the bookshelf. "I would like to read it someday." She said as she turned back with a small smile on her face and Link blinked in surprise. "I know that there are things you don't wish to talk about, and I have no desire to learn things about you behind your back." She said and Link's eyes softened before he looked down at the floor.

"It's not just that I don't want to talk about them." He said softly as his eyes glazed over slightly and Erza's smile faded to faint surprise at his words. "My final opponent no longer mattered after I healed, that's true." Link paused as he considered his next words before he gave a quiet sigh. "No one could believe me, and I know I wouldn't be able to handle the flurry of questions very well." He said and Erza's eyes widened slightly. "But more important than my discomfort-"

"Link!" Natsu yelled as he suddenly burst through the front door and the two of them quickly looked over at his urgent tone. "Erza, you're here too." Natsu said as he gasped for breath.

"Natsu, what's-?"

"Loke's gone missing!" Natsu suddenly declared, cutting Erza off, and both Link and Erza took a step towards him. "He just quit and went missing. No one has any idea where he went." He said and all three were off like a rocket, Link not even bothering to close the door behind him.

* * *

Loke was quiet as he stood near the edge of a steep cliff and looked out at what would normally be a jaw-dropping sight. Fifty feet from the cliff, separarted by nothing but empty space, a hundred-wide foot waterfall arced in a semicircle before him. The loud roar of the water filled the air as a light spray worked several feet away from the fall, but Loke seemed unaware of the sight as his eyes instead fastened on a beautifully carved headstone.

The bottom of the headstone had a crest that consisted of a horsehead with two wings underneath it, the Blue Pegasus crest, with a stone globe at each corner. The rest of the stone was more of a traditional nature but with a large stone circle crafted to go up a few feet with a stone bell hanging from the top.

_Karen Lilica_

_Here Sleeps_

_The Celestial Spirit Mage_

_of Blue Pegasus_

After several minutes of staring at the headstone, Loke slowly started to walk forward with his hands in his jacket pockets. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" He asked somberly as he stopped a few feet away from the stone. A sudden wave of pain washed over the ring mage and he staggered as he grabbed his chest before he almost fell to his knees. He kept his balance though, and even managed a self-depreceating chuckle. "I bet you're laughing right now... aren't you?" He asked as he struggled to stand up straight again.

"There you are." A sudden voice said from behind him and he quickly looked back in surprise to see Lucy.

"Wha... Lucy?" Loke was dumbfounded as he looked at the blonde, unable to figure out why, or how, she was here.

"This must be Karen's grave." Lucy said with a gental smile that belied the slight blush and sweat that her desperate run had formed. "Your former summoner." She went on and Loke's eyes changed from dumbfoundment to shock at her words. "That's right, I know who you are, Loke." Lucy said then paused for a moment. "No... not Loke," She said before her eyes firmed. "Leo the Lion." She stated and Loke could only continue to look at her in shock.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Loke suddenly started to chuckle as he shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it." He said while Lucy's confident expression shifted to show a hint of confusion at his words. "When did you figure it out?" Loke asked and Lucy's confusion cleared at the question.

"Just a little bit ago." She confessed as she crossed her arms under her chest. "I'm actually embarressed it took me thing long to figure it out." Lucy said before she gave him a knowing look. "Of course, that's why you avoid Celestial Spirit mages like the plague." She went on and Loke gave a self-depreceating chuckle as he nodded his head. "I've never heard of a Celestial Spirit that could appear here without a summoner, who did you go to after Karen?" She asked and Loke looked to the side to avoid her gaze.

"No one." He said and Lucy's eyes went wide.

"N-no way... for a Celestial Spirit, the real world-"

"Is almost like poison, for staying here continuously drains our magical power." Loke finished with a nod before he looked down at his now trembling hand. "I've been here for three years, now."

Lucy's jaw nearly hit the ground as she looked at him for several seconds in stunnd silence. "Th-that's incredible, I've never heard of a Celestial Spirit lasting this long." She said and Loke gave a sad chuckle before a wave of pain twisted his face and dropped him to his knees. "Loke?!" She called out as she ran up to him before she froze in shock as she saw part of his body go transparent.

"Right now, though... I've reached my... limit." Loke grunted out as he collapsed to his side. "My willpower's finally done... I can't last much longer here." He said then looked over in surprise as Lucy gently cradled his head.

"Then why don't you return?" She asked but he weakly shook his head.

"There's no Gate for me... all there is left is oblivion." He managed to get out as more of his body turned transparent and a weak smile came to him. "This is... what I deserve..." Loke said comfortingly as he closed his eyes to accept his fate.

"No!" Lucy's scream of denial brought his eyes back open and he regarded her with surprise. "There has to be a way, just tell me what it is!" She demanded but Loke just shook his head again.

"You don't understand... this is what I deserve..." He said but Lucy's expression didn't relent. "How do you think... Karen died?" Loke asked and Lucy's eyes went wide. "I broke the most important rule of a Celestial Spirit... I killed my summoner." He said as his eyes tightened painfully. "Three years ago... I was under contract with Karen along with... a good friend... Aries." A small smile came to the dying Spirit at the image of his friend.

Shy and beautiful, Aries the Ram had a curvy figure under a revealing, wool dress with short, pink hair. From her hair grew a pair of short, curved horns that somehow seemed to add to her beauty rather than detract it. Her charm was enhanced further by her demure character, not trying to flaunt her beauty but rather just trying to get along with others.

His smile didn't last long, however, for he quickly recalled the many ways that the sadistic Karen seemed to enjoy using her as nothing more than a tool. "One day, Karen had been scolded by... the Blue Pegasus Guild Master." Loke said and his eyes tightened as his body stopped growing transparent. "She had used Aries as... nothing more than a shield on a previous Job." He said and Lucy's eyes reflected her shock and horror at such brutal treatment. "Her scolding was deserved... but she decided to punish Aries, thinking that she had told on her." Loke said and his right hand twitched as he remembered his anger from the moment.

"Is... is that when you-"

"I took Aries' place... and told Karen to give up our Keys." Loke went on, not even hearing Lucy's attempted question. "If she didn't... then I would stay in the real world to teach her a lesson." He said and Lucy looked at him in a mixture of awe and respect.

_To put himself throught that kind of suffering... _Lucy thought as she tried to imagine what Loke had gone through for his friend. Her expression quicky changed to confusion, though, for she couldn't see how this ended up with Loke killing Karen after he had chosen such a painful road for himself.

"After a while... I got used to the drain as I ignored Karen's pleas and bargains. After three months, I had barely even noticed the drain... and could move around almost normally." Loke went on, not understanding but unable to deny his desire to explain his story. "But then... just as I decided to give Karen another chance... I heard..." He paused as tears formed in his eyes. "Karen had been killed on a Job... killed because she already had one Celestial Spirit in the real world and couldn't summon another." He said and Lucy's eyes went wide as she looked at the grieving Spirit.

"But... you didn't kill Karen." Lucy said and Loke's eyes snapped open to fix her with a glare.

"Because of my stubborness, Karen was killed!" He snapped out as his anger and guilt reflected clearly in his eyes.

"No!" Lucy snapped back and Loke was taken momentarily aback. "You tried to save your friend from being under a wicked mage and she was too stubborn to change. That's not your fault!" She said vehemently before she shook her head. "For someone to think that is just idiotic!" Lucy declared before she hugged Loke tightly to her. "Open the Gate of the Lion!" She screamed with all her might but nothing happened. "Open!" She demanded angrily but to no avail. "Please..."

"Lucy..." Loke gently grabbed her and moved her back. "It's fine... like I said-"

"It's not fine!" Lucy snapped angrily as she fixed him with a glare. "UUUAAAAAHHHHHH!" She screamed and the air around her started to warp as she put all her might into forcing the Gate open.

Uknown to them, Link heard a faint echoes of Lucy's screams of determination and quickly rushed through the forest towards the sound.

After Natsu had told him and Erza about Loke's disappearance, the green-clad mage decided that he would check the forest for signs of Loke. After all, if he had left Fairy Tail and no one had been able to locate him in the city yet, it stood to reason he might have gone into the forest. It hadn't taken him long to find signs of not only Loke, but also Lucy heading deeper into the forest. _Could she know something? _Link had wondered as he quickly yet carefully followed the trail. Now he quickly moved closer as he heard Lucy continue to scream angrily at Loke after he begged her not to add to his sin.

"If that's the rule in the Spirit World, then I'll change it!" Lucy cried out defiantly as she glared at a tearful Loke just as Link burst from the treeline when the waterfall seemed to burst. The two of them looked at the display in shock while Link skidded to a stop at the sight. Water sprayed everywhere for several seconds before the individual droplets suddenly froze and just seemed to hover in place. "What the...?" Lucy asked uncertainly before she turned to see Link standing there with an expression of shock on his face. "Link?" She called out but got no response from him. In fact, he didn't even seem to breathing.

"No... no way..." Loke said and Lucy quickly turned to look back at him only to him looking up at the sky in utter shock. "F... for him to come..." He said and Lucy followed his gaze up to see a large face forming in the night sky, a face that was quicky followed by a massive body. "The Celestial Spirit King." Loke said and swallowed nervously as Lucy's eyes showed her own shock at Loke's words. "W... what are you doing here?!" He called out uncertainly but received no answer.

A Spirit of titanic proportions, the Celestial Spirit King was decked out in turqoise and gold full plate armor. He also had a horned helmet of the same color with a large peacock feather adorning the top. A white cape hung from his shoulders and fluttered around as if caught in the wind, a strange sight indeed for there was no wind, nor any other movement around them. His skin was a light blue and his face sported a long, thin, white mustache that almost matched his broad shoulders in length and reached down to his chest. Red, pupiless eyes gazed down upon them impassively while massive, armored arms crossed over his chest.

"Did you say... King?" Lucy asked as she brought a hand to her mouth. "As in, the most powerful Celestial Spirit of all?!" She tried to clariy as her mind struggled to understand what could bring such a powerful being to the real world like this.

"Old friend..." The King suddenly began in a deep, booming voice. "We who are bearers of the Keys... who pledge oaths to the humans... we are forbidden to kill them." He intoned and Loke's eyes clouded with guilt at the words. "Though indirectly, you did cause the death of your summoner, Leo." He continued and Loke's gaze shifted the ground. "Thus you are unable to return to the Spirit World." The King finished and Loke nodded his head in acceptance.

However, there was another one who was not quite so accepting. "Hold on a minute!" Lucy yelled as she got to her feet. "Don't you think you're being unreasonable here?!" She demanded and Loke looked at her in surprise.

"Lucy, just please give it up!" He tried to reason with her.

"Old friend." The King suddenly spoke up and Leo immediately went silent. "This is the one rule I cannot change." He intoned firmly and shock widened Loke's eyes.

_No way... did he hear Lucy declare her intent to change the rule? _He wondered as his body became just a bit more transparent. _For something like that, the King came down himself..._ Loke shivered at the realization as the scene became more and more unpredicatble.

"But he's already suffered for three years!" Lucy refused to back down, intent on saving her nakama from a fate worse than death. "It was all to save a nakama! Can't you understand that?!" She demanded angrily but the King simply continued to look down impassively.

"My old friend's wish, his fate, pains my heart. But-"

"This isn't about an old friend!" Lucy interjected angrily as she sliced her right hand out in front of her. "This is about a friend, a nakama, right in front of you that needs help! Please, old man, you have to listen!" She demanded and Loke looked at her in surprise for not only cutting the Spirit King off but also calling him an old man. "It was just an accident, Loke being blamed for what happened is idiotic! I won't accept anything less than him being innocent!" Her eyes shut as she screamed with all her heart to try and budge the King.

"Lucy! That's enough!" Loke finally snapped desperately. "I don't want forgiveness, do you understand? I want to atone for my sin, to pay for Karen't death!" He yelled before he slumped down, almost all his energy gone. "To just fade into oblivion... I'm okay with it..." He trailed off weakly before he felt a sudden surge of magical power in front of him.

"I won't allow it!" Lucy screamed as her hands tightened into fists and the Celestial Spirit King showed his first emotional response, a beign curiosity at the sight before him. "IT'S NOT A SIN!" Lucy screamed with all her strength and a bright light surrounded her. Suddenly, all around her, stood all of her Celestial Spirits.

The blue-haired and blue-scaled mermaid, Aquarius the Water Bearer.

The brown and white minatour, Taurus the Golden Bull.

The black-haired bowmaster in the horse costume, Sagittarius the Archer.

The suave hair stylist with crab legs growing fromhis back, Cancer the Giant Crab.

The large, silver cross information gatherer, Crux the Southern Cross.

The tall, brown grandfather clock, Horologium the Clock.

The youthful looking harpmaster, Lyra the Lyre.

And not to be forgotten, Plue the Canis Minor.

"Caring for your nakama's feelings, they aren't a sin!" Lucy screamed as all the Spirits looked up sternly at the Spirit King and Loke's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at so many Spirits being summoned at once. She was only able to keep it up for a second before the Celestial Spirits disappeared again and she immediately collapsed from the strain.

"Lucy!" Loke called out as he scrambled to her side, somehow able to move a body that was halfway transparent.

"My Spirits... my nakama all feel the same way!" Lucy gasped out as she struggled to look up at the King. "As a Spirit... you should be able to understand Loke's feelings in trying to protect Aries!" She yelled before her head slumped back down the ground.

Unseen by either Loke or Lucy, the King's eyes had indeed taken a thoughtful quality as he looked at them.

"You almost bit off more than you could chew!' He scolded her as she groaned from the force of using so much magical power at once. "Trying to summon that many Spirits at once could have easily killed you!" He went on when he saw she didn't even have the energy to argue.

The King watched it all without saying a word for several seconds before his eyes narrowed in deliberation. "If you would go so far for my old friend..." He started off and both Loke and Lucy froze. "Perhaps the rule is indeed the one at fault." He allowed and Loke's eyes went wide with shock as he turned to look up him while Lucy gave a happy smile. "Leo, you committed a sin for the sake of Aries." He said then paused for a moment. "However, this one risked her life for your sake without hesitation. For the sake of that bond, I shall consider this case as an exception." Loke's shock couldn't have been more complete by the King's decision as he continued to look up in disbelief. "Leo, I grant you permission to return to the Spirit World."

"So you've got a benevolent side after all, old man." Lucy said with a grin and a happy wink, to which the King returned with a sudden smile of his own.

The smile didn't last long, however, as the King broughth is cloak up in a flourish. "Thank the guidance of the stars." He said as he started to disappear.

"Please wait..." Loke said as tears started to reform in his eyes. "I still..."

"Should you still feel guilt for your actions, then I command you to become a pillar for your friend and to live on." The King's voice echoed throughout the night sky and Loke's face froze at the command. "There is nobility in laying it all on the line to protect someone... for those are the friends that are truly worth having." Loke barely heard Lucy's next comment as a true smile came to his face while tears continued unadulterated down his face.

"This doesn't... absolve me of my sin..." Loke said as an ornate door appeared behind him and slowly opened to admit him to the Spirit World. "But you've given me the courage to move forward... thank you." He added as he looked up at her even as his body started to fade through the Gate. "I look forward to being your pillar." Were his last words before he disappeared in a flash of light.

A Golden Key appeared in his place in front of Lucy and hovered in midair. The bow of the key was similar to a lion's head, with the face on the bow's base, complete with two fangs facing downward. The center of the bow is a white arc with the crest of the Lion, colored in dark orange, and surrounded by the lion's "mane". The end of the key's blade is similar to a lion's tail with a crescent moon at the tip.

Lucy smiled at the Key and gently reached out to take hold of it. "Likewise." She said before her eyes fluttered with exhaustion and she slumped to the ground.

Link quickly caught her before she hit the ground, though she would have been unaware of the impact. After a quick look, he was able to quickly determine that she simply suffered from using too much magical power and simply needed some rest. His keen blue eyes took in the suddenly normal scene before he looked down and noticed the Golden Key in her hands. Aware that something had happened, but not knowing exactly what, he nonetheless got the feeling that Loke was not in any danger.

_Time magic was at work here. _Link realized as he felt the familiar tingle of that particular magical energy. After a few more seconds, he simply shook his head then carefully picked up Lucy bridal style without a sound and, after making sure he had a firm grip on her, quickly made his way back to his cabin so she could rest.

* * *

Into the Past: Dancing with Fear and Death

The evening was nearing dusk. Beyond the stretch of hills, the sky was the colour of a dying flame, gradually turning to violet before a cobalt blue. The lonely silver crescent in the darkening sky was soon accompanied by twinkling stars of blue, red and white. With the onset of night came the chill of the darkness, the cold strengthened by the brisk wind starting to blow through the small village of Liliester. Located northeast from Magnolia Town, Liliester was a one-and-a-half hour train ride and a two hour walk away from another town. It was a noisy, humble village during the day and a silent, empty one at night. No one walked the streets at nightfall. A curfew was enforced to ensure the people's safety after six locals had mysteriously vanished over the past week.

Dried, dead leaves and other debris noisily tumbled across the stone pavement, waltzing in circles and passing by the brown leather boots worn by a young blond-haired boy. Draped around his shoulders was a hooded travelling cloak that was as blue as the morning sky and embroidered with magical golden thread that formed runes to enchant the cloth with water repelling properties. The ends flapped against the wind, softly brushing against his bare legs. Unfazed by the growing cold, the boy stood still before a closed shop, his blue eyes transfixed on the Light Lacrima mounted on the top front of the store that sold baked goods and other treats during the hours of daylight. Fluttering around the glowing yellow crystal were two glowbugs, large beetles with iridescent black shells and bodies that shone a bright white. They were strange, fascinating insects that were highly attracted to Light Lacrima and they always caught his attention.

The very first time he had seen them in Magnolia Town, he had mistaken them for something else. "What are those?" he had eagerly asked Erza while pointing to a pair of moving glowing orbs at the top of a street lamp.

"Glowbugs," was the scarlet-haired girl's response. "You see them all the time in towns and cities in daylight. Never at night though. Do they… remind you of something?"

_Fairies. They remind me of home… the Kokiri Forest_, he had wanted to say back then but held his tongue instead to hide his anguish.

Forlorn, he bowed his head, feeling a sudden pang in his chest. The sight of glowbugs often brought back memories of Hyrule and most of all, they reminded him of his dear friend Navi. He missed her. Despite her sometimes overbearing personality, she had been his most treasured friend. Always risking her life and always showing him the right way, Navi was an invaluable companion.

When he thought of her, he could hear her voice ringing loud in his head; _"Aim for the eye! It's Queen Gohma's weak spot!", "Don't look into its eyes or you'll be paralyzed__!", "I got it, you need to light all the torches at once!", "That's it! Link, use one's magic against the other!", "I won't leave your side ever again, Link. Together, we'll defeat Ganon!"_

The last he had seen the fairy was in the dark void. She had cried out for him while all he could do was helplessly reach out his hand, hoping to grasp onto something that could pull him out. But the darkness had swallowed him and sent him to Earthland before he could even say her name.

Nearly a year had passed since then. He wondered how long it truly was for Navi and the others back in Hyrule. He had somehow lost seven years passing through the realm of darkness, reverting back into a body of a child. Has Navi and the sages been waiting for nearly eight years? Or was the time flow different within the void compared to Hyrule and Earthland?

The boy had no answer and would probably never find it.

"Link," a familiar voice intruded his thoughts.

The boy raised his head and saw the glowbugs were no longer hovering around the light for the last of the sun had vanished. His disappointment was brief. He turned in the direction of the voice and approaching footsteps to see Erza coming down the desolate sidewalk.

The soft, rhythmic clinks of armour accompanied Erza with each brisk step. She lightly smiled in greeting the moment she entered the same light he stood under, pieces of her armour gleaming from under the enchanted black cloak around her shoulders that was similar to the one he wore. Belted to her left waist was her one-handed broadsword with its rounded silvery pommel poking out between the folds of her cloak and the gilded end of the leather scabbard nearly touching the ground. "What have you gathered so far?" she asked, crossing her steel-plated arms.

Link returned her smile with one of his own before heaving a deep sigh. His side of the mission was to ask the villagers about the recent disappearances of their fellow neighbours. It wasn't easy considering most of the adults mistook him as a helpless, naive child based on first impressions. It was nothing new, having experienced the same treatment before on past jobs. He had to constantly show every single person his mark of Fairy Tail in order to convince them that he was here on an official job request. Some had teased him, others had mocked them, but under their tough exterior and disbelief Link could sense their fear and unease. Everyone in the village was frightened.

"The six that disappeared all entered the crypt in the graveyard and were never seen again," Link began, "No one dares to go near the graveyard and many believe the place cursed."

"When you go in, you never come out," one nervous young man had claimed. There were rumours flying around that the ones who disappeared were murdered beneath the crypt, their bodies hacked to pieces and their flesh eaten by the killer. The children spoke of monsters and vengeful ghosts kidnapping the people while the adults spoke of bloodthirsty demons, satanic cults, and maniacs. No one has actually seen anything so the rumours remained as rumours.

Link cocked his head and looked skyward at the now black sky as he pondered out loud; "It's either a work of a demon, something called a 'cult', a crazed psychopath, or a vengeful spirit." He raised an eyebrow at Erza. "Are there such things as ghosts in your world?"

The girl raised an armoured hand to her chin, thinking. "There are some spells that can summon ghosts but I've never heard of free spirits making people vanish."

The Hylian made a mental note on that before looking at Erza expectantly.

Seeing his expression, the young warrioress relayed what she had learned from meeting with their client, the mayor of Liliester. It was pretty much the same story that Link had heard from everyone else in the village. First to disappear was the gravekeeper, an older man in his mid-fifties. The second was his wife who went searching. Their eldest son was the third. A pair of concerned friends of the couple followed right after, both gone at the same time on the same day. The sixth and most recent was the gravekeeper's youngest son.

If Link and Erza could find out what happened to the six who vanished and resolve the problem, they would be rewarded with five-hundred eighty thousand Jewels for this A rank mission. It was Erza who had chosen the request, wanting to try something a little different from the usual high-rank Jobs she liked to do; hunting strong demons and criminals. It didn't sound too fun to Link when she described the details to him.

"Like a mystery case. Interesting, don't you think?" Erza had mused back when they were still at the guild, her smirk reflecting a hint of a challenge.

Link wasn't sure what a 'mystery case' was but he had nodded to accept her challenge nonetheless.

Since the hour of the night had only just begun, it was the perfect time to investigate the site of the disappearances.

Located on the outskirts on the west side of the village, the graveyard wasn't hard to miss. Roughly the size of one-fifth of the village and surrounded by a tall iron-barred fence, the place looked rather intimidating especially when it was shrouded in darkness. There were no torches or lights along the path leading to the gate, resorting to Link having to draw an arrow from the quiver strapped to his back and igniting the iron tip aflame with a simple flick of his wrist. The long shadows cast by the magic flickering fire danced around them on the open dirt road, making the pair wary as they walked side-by-side.

_Never trust the shadows. Not even your own_. It was lesson Link had learned what seemed like a long time ago.

The iron gates leading to the graveyard were locked with a heavy padlock and chains. Erza produced a silver key, given to her by the mayor, and removed both lock and chains. On rusted hinges, the gates horribly shrieked in protest as Link pried them open.

Inside, the graveyard was neat and well-kept. Rows and rows of orderly placed tombstones of various sizes and shapes marked the site of the beloved deceased, the many pale and dark and marbled stones forever engraved with names, dates and parting words of kin. Some had small vases of wilted flowers placed before them, others had memorial items left by families. Trees that grew tall and twisted were scattered throughout, their gnarled, thorn-like branches reaching to the sky like clawed hands. The leaves that clung to the branches looked black under the dim light of the moon, shivering and rustling from the wind.

Link slowly scanned the area, oddly reminiscing the time he had ventured into Kakariko Village's graveyard. He could remember Dampe the gravekeeper, the stocky man with pale skin, droopy eyes, lanky arms, a hunched back, and a stomping gait. The man had a slur to his speech, crooked teeth and a crooked grin but he was an overall nice guy.

At the far end of the Liliester's graveyard was the entrance to the underground crypt constructed of ebony stone carved in the shape of the village's symbol; the lily flower. Erza was already making her way down the central cobblestone path and Link was quick to catch up, his Fire Arrow still burning in his hand. It felt colder with each step closer to the entrance and the wind stronger, snapping their cloaks, throwing back their hoods, whipping their hair, and threatening to blow out Link's flame. It was shivering cold and the heat from his magic arrow was hardly noticeable on his chilled skin. The pair stopped before the gaping doorway that would take them down. A low, eerie howl was faintly audible as the wind gusted by the opening, turning the entrance into a yawning mouth. There had once been a wooden door but that now lay broken and splintered to pieces on the ground nearby.

"Did something break out?" Erza murmured quietly, her brown eyes narrowing at the broken wood. She pulled her cloak tight around her, trying to keep warm.

Link knelt down and shined his fire over the pieces, seeing the damage was recent. "Possibly. Are you ready to check it out?" He shot his companion the same challenging smirk she had given him back in Fairy Tail, testing her wits against the (possibly haunted) shadows, the waiting dead, and the danger that lurked within.

Erza scoffed at his tone and crossed her arms. "If you are implying that I will be afraid then you are seriously wrong."

Link's smirk turned into a smug grin. "I will bet you twenty Rupees it's a monster down there."

Erza snorted but seemed up for the gamble. "Which colour gem is twenty of your Rupees?"

"It's… red." He almost said 'scarlet'.

"Very well. I'm going to guess it's a demon. I'll wager two thousand Jewels from my share of our payment."

They shook hands to seal the deal. Since Link had the light, he went in first. Out of the bitter wind and into the dank, cold darkness. He nearly fell face-first down a flight of steps for his fire was too dim and he did not expect a staircase upon his second step inside. It was a good thing Erza had grabbed the back of his cloak and saved him from the painful (and embarrassing) fall.

Ignoring Erza's snickering, Link quickly mumbled "Thank you" and continued to descend the stairs made of the same black stone as the walls. No longer battling against the merciless wind, his fire burned hot and bright inside, casting a warm orange glow over the smooth dark rock and illuminated the way. And yet there was a chill that still lingered, making Link involuntarily shiver. There were torch holders but no torches along the way. Halfway down, the black stone walls turned into natural dirt and the black steps turned into pale gray stone. It smelled damp and earthy the farther they descended, and felt much colder too.

A wide, arched-ceiling chamber waited at the bottom, lined with elaborately carved stone columns and central pillars. Between every pillar and column were stone shelves that held five coffins each. There were coffins made of wood, most of them old, weathered and rotted, some were made of dark ebony stone, glossy and smooth, others of normal gray, and fewer were made of marble, afforded only by the wealthy. Dust covered the lids of the sleeping dead and nearly every dark corner had spider webs.

Slowly, the young warriors passed through, keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of the missing six people. The shadows shifted and moved with every flicker of Link's flame, making it tricky to spot any movement from whatever could be hiding in the darkness.

The boy's ears were tuned to his surroundings, hearing their footsteps echo around the chamber and the soft clinks of Erza's armour right beside him. He glanced sideways at his partner, seeing the girl tense and alert as she scanned every shadow they passed, her right hand held stiffly over the hilt of her blade, ready to be drawn at the first sign of danger.

Link stiffened when he heard a new noise. It was so faint he had to pause and strain his ears to listen. Erza stopped soon after but didn't question him knowing he had detected something.

Without a word he nodded his head towards the far corner of the crypt where the sound was coming from. They resumed their quiet, cautious trek towards the deep, deep moans that only Link could hear. The sound grew louder once they reached the corner. It was unnervingly familiar, sounding like the deathly moans of the undead Link was unfortunate to encounter more than once. Glancing warily at the nearest coffin he was passing by, he dreaded the thought of having to deal with some sort of undead creature hiding in the crypt.

He shuddered, recalling the times he had to deal with the likes of Redeads; moving shriveled corpses with withered brown flesh still clinging to their bones, flat, stone faces and black pits for eyes. Their blood-chilling shrieks and dead, empty gazes had the power to paralyze any brave soul daring or foolish enough to face them. Link couldn't remember how many times he had frozen in terror when the cursed creatures spotted him in the dank, dark dungeons of the Shadow Temple. Just from thinking about them, he could almost hear the scrape of their dragging feet and imagine their gaunt arms reaching out for him, wanting to wrap their horribly stiff limbs around him and sink their gnashing teeth into his flesh.

Gibdos were just as bad but the true nightmares were the awful, awful Deadhands; twisted, grotesque abominations with sickly gray, peeling skin that was stained with dried blood and mottled black with decay. Unlike Redeads, Deadhands bore the uncanny face of a man. They had bloated stomachs, hungry, glowing red eyes, abnormally long necks, and hanging, drooling jowls full of bloody teeth. Their domains were small enclosed rooms piled with old, chewed and broken bones – bones that were once _people_, their skulls forever grinning and their hollow eyes always staring – and with walls stained dark and crimson. The floor of those rooms was always mucky and slimy, the dirt sodden with blood and filth. The monsters reeked of death but the worst thing about them were their many long pale arms that stuck out of the ground like pale, bony trees, swaying to and fro, beckoning their victims to come closer.

Link could never forget the stiff, dirty, ice-cold hand that had clamped tightly around his face with an iron grip when he first encountered one as a child at the bottom of a cursed well. The hand was smothering him, its nasty, sharp nails dug deep into his skin. Just when he had thought he was going to suffocate to death, he heard the deep, rumbling laughter resonating from the ground before something soundly broke the surface and started to noisily crawl towards his struggling form. With his sword dropped on the ground and out of reach, Link had to desperately and painfully tear himself free before the hideous monster could take a huge bite out of him. The fiend's vile existence was put to an end soon after that. After that incident, he couldn't sleep well over a week. It especially didn't help that he had to fight them twice.

Taking a slow, deep breath, Link shuddered again, drawing Erza's immediate attention.

"Are you shivering with fear?" she questioned quietly, sounding a little surprised but also concerned.

_No, I'm shivering from the nightmares that still haunt me._

The boy stiffly shook his head at Erza's question and firmly replied, "It's just cold." It was half-true. Down here, the air was getting chillier the deeper they went. Before she could respond with a witty remark, he hastened his steps the moment he spotted something lying on the ground. It was an abandoned torch, the flame long since burned out. Not far was another one and a broken lantern too, its glass case shattered and its oil spilled on the cold stone floor. "They were here…" But something had happened to them, judging by the condition of the lantern and the discarded torches.

Erza picked one of the torches and lit it up with Link's fire, the flames softly reflecting off her armour. Together, they inspected the area, finding the footsteps left in the dust abruptly ending at the wall closest to the corner of the chamber. The constant moan that Link could hear was loudest here, sounding more like a deep wail of an unholy beast.

Even Erza could hear it, although her interpretation was far different than what he suspected; "I can hear the wind. There must be an opening nearby."

_Only the wind and not the cries of the undead._ He silently thanked whatever gods and guardians protected the realm of Earthland.

Erza rapped her knuckles against the wall, steel striking against dirt in dull clangs. It certainly didn't sound hollow. However, when she took one step away, the wall suddenly caved in to reveal a black tunnel on the other side.

Both warriors held their breath, eyes narrowed at the dark hole, their hands gripping the hilts of their sheathed blades, waiting for other surprises to jump at them. Seconds passed and nothing else happened. Only a cold breeze greeted them through the tunnel, lightly stirring their hair, tugging the ends of their cloaks, and twisting their flames in all directions.

Link didn't relax just yet for the wind coming from the tunnel felt unnaturally cold; frigid like the wintry winds that cut deep to the bone. The heat of their fires did little to ward off the cold. Disturbing chills ran up his spine when he caught the scent of blood.

Erza drew a sharp breath as she brought a hand to cover her nose. "The wall didn't collapse on its own. Something's inviting us to enter. Something dark," she whispered before facing the other. "And I'm sure it's an evil demon," she added, reaching out her hand and gesturing for her payment.

The Hylian rolled his eyes. "We haven't seen it yet so you can't be sure about that."

"Oh, I know when it's a demon. I can _sense_ it. This terrible chill in the air, it's a demon's _evil _aura. What we're dealing with is absolutely a demon. A sinister one. Though not particularly strong." She smirked when he had nothing to argue against her. "Twenty Rupees, my friend. I believe that was the bet?"

Pouting, Link dug into his pouch for his wallet and after examining a handful of his gems under the light of their flames, he tossed her a red one.

Erza snatched it out of the air and smiled at the ruby-like jewel shimmering under the flames. "A beautiful stone. I will cherish this treasure of yours."

"You better take care of that," he grumbled, speaking as if it was his last twenty-Rupee piece. He still had plenty stashed away in his wallet.

Erza's expression became somber after she tucked away her reward. "If what we're dealing with is an evil creature, it is possible the six missing villagers are already…"

_Dead…_ Link silently finished for her. He nodded sullenly, understanding the innocent people had likely met a terrible fate. He looked over his partner carefully, seeing her disheartened by the grim truth. However, she soon regained her composure, her brown eyes flashing with a hint of anger. She was determined to hunt down the demon haunting Liliester and avenge the six who were missing. Link felt just the same.

They warily entered the tunnel with two torches, one really an arrow, lighting the way. They were quick to notice the tunnel was recently made, dug by something large and strong enough to leave deep scars in the dirt walls. The soil and rock was loose under their feet and there were thick roots of trees hanging down from the ceiling that was as high as two full grown adults standing one on top of the other.

It didn't take long until they reached the end where the tunnel opened to a large, rocky cavern. Link couldn't make out how vast the cavern was for the light of their flames did not reach beyond twenty paces from where they stood. Above, only the pointed ends of stalactites were visible while their true size remained hidden. The ground below was rugged dark stone that was glistening with moisture that slowly dripped from the ceiling. And there were plenty of stalagmites both large and small, with six of the larger ones bearing the grinning faces of human skulls, all facing the two young warriors, their dark hollowed eyes seemingly staring at them in the dancing light. Below each one were headless skeletons slumped against the formations of rock, all flesh stripped from their white bones, lying in thick pools of congealed blood that smelled rancid. Articles of torn, bloodied clothing were strewn about; shoes, socks, pants, shirts, undergarments, even a dress.

Erza gasped at the morbid sight while Link clenched his jaw tight, feeling sick to his stomach. There was no doubt the six skulls were the six villagers gone missing.

**"Welcome. My, you humans are wonderful wanting to keep me well-fed." **The sudden voice boomed like thunder, sounding not through their ears but within their heads. It was deep with a permanent growl, like the throat of a giant, savage beast.

Both warriors flinched at the loud words ringing through their minds and quickly drew their weapons. Steel hissed against leather as Erza freed her sword. Link took out his bow. Since he had a Fire Arrow ready he might as well use it first. They shifted so they stood back-to-back, searching the darkness beyond their light to find the demon hiding in the cavern.

**"Oh! Young ones today. So tender of flesh, so pure of blood, so innocent of soul." **There was a smacking of wet lips followed by the scuttling of heavy, clawed feet against stone but Link couldn't pinpoint from where. There was too much echoing. He could feel eyes upon him; watching intently, leering, and hungry. "**How nice to give me a feast tonight."**

"Show your damn face already!" Erza demanded, highly agitated either by the demon's taunts or its vile presence, Link did not know. She frantically scanned the shadows, her brow furrowed with frustration.

**"Is this fear I smell from you, child? It smells rather delectable. I will devour you first while the other watches you scream."**

Erza soundly cut the air and retaliated with an angry holler of; "You will die first for the heinous crimes you have committed! My blade will strike you down tenfold before you hit the ground!"

**"Children should not play the heroes." **The demon sounded amused. Link could imagine it sneering as it continued to scoff at them. "**They will only get themselves killed and eaten just like these hapless souls. Your little skulls will join the rest, forever watching as more and more become my prey." **Another smack of hungry lips.

Link steeled against the demon's threat, his blue eyes glowering at the unseen foe. Tired of being played around, he readied his arrow and closed his eyes to focus only on the sounds echoing in the vast cavern. But the voice booming in his head made it difficult.

**"Your bravery is false and deluded. How foolish of you to seek an adventure here for now you shall face your greatest fear."**

Link wanted to laugh at the demon; to mock it; to defy it; to prove how utterly wrong it was. This stupid demon didn't know true fear. _Deadhand_ was true fear. The very name of the abomination instilled the worst fear Link has ever known. Even Redeads brought twinges of fear and dread. But this… Link felt nothing but annoyance from the fiend that prowled in the shadows, taunting them; thinking them weak and helpless and easy prey.

_You are no Deadhand. Only a weak, lowly demon with a hunger for innocent flesh. _"We do not fear a cowardly demon," he retorted, his tone unwavering and strong. Eyes still closed, he waited for the creature to make the first move.

**"Cowardly? You will regret your words, child, because it will be you who will cower before me!"**

Laughter rent their minds, excruciatingly loud and malicious.

Link hissed and staggered from the pain while Erza dropped her torch to clutch the side of her head. That was when the boy sensed the demon's approach coming fast from behind him, heavy footsteps pounding against the rocky ground straight for his partner.

The Hylian twisted around and loosed his burning arrow. The flaming streak flew over Erza's head and struck something huge, black, and hairy and exploded in a fiery blaze that brightened the cavern's depths and chased away the cold.

The demon let out a startled shriek as it reeled back and fell to the bloody ground, screaming in agony as the upper half of its body was engulfed in hot orange fire. Its verbal cries were horrendous, so shrill and intense that it forced Link to his knees and clamp his hands over his ears in a desperate, futile attempt to block out the sound. It echoed all around, making the screams seem to go on forever. A strong hand grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away from the now thrashing demon.

Through his grimace, Link quickly studied the demon. The creature was large, about the size of two full-grown bulls. It was rolling in the pools of blood, trying in vain to extinguish the fire that burned the black fur covering most of its muscular body. It flailed its thick arms that were the size of tree-trunks and swiped at the hungry flames crawling up its wolf-like mane around its long neck with massive hands that bore curved claws that were at least ten inches long, sharp-pointed and flat. Shiny black scales covered its kicking legs, its big reptilian feet ending with sharp talons much smaller than the ones on its hands. Whipping about behind it was its long cat-like tail.

The skeletons were crushed and broken and bones were sent flying about while the stalagmites that held both skulls and nothing were shattered to pieces by the panicking demon. The cavern was filling with choking smoke and the pungent stink of burning hair.

Its howls of pain soon turned into screams of rage. Still aflame, it rolled to its feet, twisted around and charged at the two warriors in a fit of madness.

Link was up and ready with another arrow notched in his bow by the time the demon took two steps. He could see the creature's ugly mug in full detail. It had a long face like a horse but the wide jaws of a lizard with rows of sharp teeth and a yellowish forked tongue. It saw with four beady round eyes, each one a glistening onyx, and listened with two pairs of long hare-like ears. Sets of horns grew behind its head, curved, black and twisted. Its thick mane around its neck was now a thick mane of fire, establishing the look of a fearsome fiery demon. Too bad fire was neither its element nor friend.

Erza was first to intercept the demon's path, her broadsword swinging fast from the side, her blade looking no more but a silvery-orange streak that arced and slashed deep into the scaled leg of the towering beast. The fiend yelped and jerked its leg back. Before it could counter, Link released his second arrow, one powered with holy light. It struck the demon right between its four eyes.

The night of the cavern briefly turned into day when his Light Arrow erupted with golden light, blinding not only the demon but himself and Erza as well. The demon staggered backwards and its cry was worst than before, rendering both warriors to their knees with hands covering their ears. It hurt badly, feeling as if Link's eardrums would burst.

He felt the ground rumbling. Thinking the beast had fallen over, he snapped his eyes open and rapidly blinked away the remnants of his holy arrow clouding his vision. However, he found only darkness and no flaming demon and the screams had suddenly stopped. The tiny flame of Erza's torch was the only source of light remaining.

Ears ringing, he leapt to his feet and lit up another Fire Arrow to brighten the area. Where the demon was last seen was now a hole of torn rock. The heat was gone but the smoke and stench of burnt hair lingered. "It burrowed underground!" Erza exclaimed, retrieving her dropped sword and falling to her stance.

"Below us!" Link warned, feeling the tremors strengthen right under his feet.

Both jumped away in time to avoid a massive clawed hand exploding from where they once stood, sending a shower of rocks and dirt in all directions. Erza went in, dodging the flying stones and clumps of earth with a different sword equipped in hand, instantly drawn from her pocket dimension. It was a long, thin, curved blade with a one-sided edge that wickedly gleamed. She called it a _katana_ and it was fast, deadly and more accurate than her broadsword. With one quick slash, she severed the demon's arm right at the elbow. The arm violently twitched for a few brief moments before falling completely still.

The demon's pained howl was thankfully muffled by the ground. The stump that bled blood as black as the night quickly sank back beneath the ground only to have the rest of the smoldering demon emerge in another explosion of rocks that marginally missed the young warriors. The wounded beast twisted in circles, frantically searching for its two targets. However, it saw nothing because its four beady eyes, all weeping glistening black tears, were now clouded and silvery-gray with permanent blindness.

**"Cursed wretches! How dare-" **

Its booming words were like knives to the head but Link had cut it short when his Fire Arrow struck the side of its ugly face. Another brilliant blaze erupted in the cavern, sending a rush of heat and fiery light. Before it could release another deafening shriek, Erza leapt high and aimed her sword at the beast's flaming neck. Through fire, fur, muscle and bone, her blade cut cleanly from end to end.

**"H-How? Only… mere children… You should… fear me…" **

"We have faced far worst fears than you," Erza shot back at the demon before its flaming head slid off its shoulders and hit the ground with a wet, sickening thud. The body toppled over soon after with a heavier thud, spilling its foul black blood where it mingled with the red. The fires continued to eat away the demon's hair and flesh, turning it to charred bones and ash.

Erza lopped off one of the demon's hand claws from its severed arm as proof of its existence to show the mayor. She then flicked off most of the dark blood from her sword before wiping the thin blade with a cloth. She mumbled something Link couldn't hear as she made her way over to him by the tunnel's entrance.

"What was that?" he asked, gesturing to his still ringing ears with his free hand. He held onto the torch that was once Erza's with his other hand.

She lightly smirked before nodding towards the entrance. "I said: Let's hurry back." She paused and peered over her shoulder at what was left of the demon and the six who perished, her expression one of remorse. Two skulls remained on the stalagmites, their grinning faces staring through the smoke at the dying flames lying before them as if enjoying the sight of their killer dead.

Solemn, Link nodded. He offered a silent prayer to the villagers killed by the demon and turned away from the scene with Erza right behind him. As they traversed the tunnel, Link thought back on what Erza had last said to the demon. He silently wondered what was her greatest fear but did not ask. Her secrets were her own, it was not his place to pry. And she treated him exactly the same out of respect and trust.

Neither said a word until they reached the steps leading out of the crypt.

"Strange enough, I'm a little hungry…" said Erza, breaking the silence and gloomy mood.

The boy quietly laughed. "I know a place where they sell cookies and cakes – Oh, wait, they're closed for the night. We should stop by tomorrow. I think they have your favourites."

"Sounds good. I'll buy."

"But I–"

"I won the bet therefore I will buy. No more arguing."

Link looked at her sullenly while she hardened her gaze, daring him to go against her. After a moment, the boy slightly pouted to the side in defeat and quietly muttered, "Fine. I get to choose the next Job then."

"Deal."

Together, they left the graveyard, delivered the news to their client and expressed their condolences to the lives lost. After they received their reward and was offered a free place to stay for the rest of the night, they anticipated for morning to rise.

* * *

I'd like to thank Icy Cake for the Into the Past segment.

So as can be guessed, the Jellal Arc is coming up fast. The next chapter may take a while as I do something I've wanted to do for a while, uncertain how long it might take.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


	34. Past Nakama

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The sun was high in the partially cloudy sky as its brilliant rays came down unimpeded into the Fairy Tail construction site. The building was definitely well along on its way, a testament to the ingenuity of the mages considering that none of them were trained carpenters. At the moment, everyone was taking a break to get some food, a drink, or to check out the Job Board. Standing by the bar, Natsu and Gray had matching expressions of bewilderment as they looked at Loke.

"So let me get this straight. You're actually a Celestial Spirit?" Natsu asked as he tilted his head to the right.

"Yeah," Loke answered with a short nod and an embarrassed smile as Natsu started circling around him to look for a clue he had missed before.

"I never noticed at all." Gray said as he crossed his arms over his shirtless torso, his sword pendant necklace shifting with his movement, and Happy nodded his head. To his credit, Gray was at least wearing a pair of black pants and black shoes rather than walking around only in his boxers.

"Aye."

"Hold on, this doesn't make sense." Natsu said as he finally stopped to stand directly in front of Loke, who cocked his right eyebrow at him questioningly. "You're not a cow or a horse or anything else like that." He said and Loke blinked before he let out a quick chuckle.

"You've seen Virgo, right?" Loke asked and Natsu nodded his head. "Well, she looks like a normal person." He said but Natsu shook his head.

"No, she also turns into a gorilla." The Dragon Slayer argued with a set expression on his face.

"Ah..." Loke was caught off guard for a moment before he remembered Virgo's quirk. "I guess you have a point." He admitted with an uncertain smile and Natsu nodded his head.

"Loke's actually the Lion Celestial Spirit." Lucy said from a nearby chair at the bar. Today, Lucy had decided to wear a yellow tank-top with a low neckline and a white, strapless undershirt. She also had on short, denim jeans with her key ring on its usual belt and a pair of brown, knee-high boots.

"Lion?" Natsu asked as he locked up in an over the top reaction.

"Isn't that a grown-up cat?" Happy demanded as he sprouted his white wings to hover in front of Loke.

"That's right." The Lion replied with an amused grin and Happy quickly perched on his right shoulder with a content smile.

"No it isn't!" Lucy quickly denied while Loke reached up to pet Happy and gave a short chuckle.

Gray suddenly leaned forward with a concerned expression and crossed his arms over his chest. "Hey, are you sure you're in a good enough shape to be here right now?" After hearing how Loke had nearly faded into oblivion, he didn't want his fellow Guildmate pushing himself too hard.

Loke looked over at Gray and offered a nod with a reassuring grin in reply. "I'm not quite in peak condition yet, but I wanted to come by and give one last hello as a member of Fairy Tail." He said, which got him looks of surprise from Natsu, Gray, and Happy. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm gone forever." He said with a quick laugh before he motioned to Lucy. "Whenever Lucy's in trouble, her knight in shining armor will quickly show up to save the day." Loke said with a gentle smile and Lucy averted her eyes as a small blush came to her.

"He lllllllooooves you." Happy said as he appeared next to her and she immediately shot him a glare.

"Don't talk like that." Lucy said irritably before she looked up in surprise as Loke walked up next to her.

"Now then," He said before he picked her up bridal style and her eyes bulged in shock. "Let's go and talk about our future together." The Lion said as he carried her away with a charming smile.

"Hey, what the-? Put me down!" Lucy demanded as she flailed with an embarrassed blush on her face.

"Man, Lucy's so lucky." Natsu said with a disheartened sigh. "I want a Spirit, too." He said with a small shake of his head.

"What kind?" Happy asked curiously, for this was the first time he had ever heard Natsu mention something like that.

"A dragon, obviously!" Natsu declared with a feral smile then went into a quick flurry of shadow boxing. "I'm the Fire Dragon Slayer, but I don't have anything to test my magic out on." He said and Happy's jaw dropped as he looked at Natsu in shock. Gray, in comparison, just shook his head in resignation at the response, not even surprised by Natsu's declaration.

Lucy, however, was not as quiet in her reaction as she jumped out from Loke's arms. "You don't summon Celestial Spirits to fight them!" She snapped at Natsu, who immediately stopped his punching to look over at her in surprise.

"That's right, there's much better things to do." Loke cut in smoothly as he leaned in towards Lucy. "Like talking about love." He said with a suave smile and Lucy immediately brought up Loke's Key.

"You should go now." The blonde said and Loke blinked in surprise. "You're not at full health, remember?" She asked with concern in her eyes and Loke paused for a moment before he smiled at her.

"Hold on, real quick." Loke said as he reached into his jacket pocket and Lucy's expression became curious. "Here you go." He said as he held out three yellow and gold tickets.

"What are these?" Lucy asked while the other three came in to each grab a ticket, Happy flying up to perch on Natsu's shoulder.

"They're tickets to a hotel." Loke said with a small grin of anticipation. "After what you did for me, this is-"

"Akane Resort?!" All four yelled at the same time as their eyes bulged in shock and Loke's grin became a full-blown smile while he watched their reactions. Lucy hugged the ticket to her chest and wiggled in place as she gave out incoherent squeals of delight. Natsu went into a little dance of joy as he roared happily while Happy clung to his shoulder with tears of bliss rolling down his face. Gray was far more reserved, content to just look at the ticket with a surprised grin as he put his right hand on his hip before he shook his head in amazement.

Loke was hardly surprised by their delight at the tickets, in fact he was happy about their reactions. Boasting a five-star hotel, beautiful beaches with crystal blue water, one of the largest amusement parks in the country, Akane Resort was easily the number one hot spot in all of Fiore. Of course, the price for each ticket reflected that, but Loke was hardly in need of jewels anymore so he had no qualms going all out for his friends. _It's the least I owe you, Lucy. _He thought before he cleared his throat to get their attention. "I already gave Link and Erza their tickets." Loke said and a mischievous smirk appeared on his face for a moment. _Just the sight of Link actually being dumbfounded would have been well worth the price. _He admitted with an internal chuckle.

"What are you all doing?" A familiar voice demanded and the four lucky recipients followed Loke's gaze behind them to see Erza dressed in a blue, one-piece swimsuit and a straw, wide-brimmed hat on her head with her wagon of suitcases ready to go behind her. Next to her stood Link, dressed in his usual attire and looking at the four with a questioning expression. "You'd better hurry if you don't want to be left behind." Erza stated firmly and while Gray and Lucy started to sputter in shock, Natsu quickly took off to grab his things at a fast sprint.

* * *

_**Akane Resort**_

"I can't believe it..." Lucy said as she walked on to the white sand beach in a pure white, floral pattern bikini, her hair up in pigtails. "I'm actually at Akane Resort!" She cheered before Natsu appeared behind her and threw an arm over her shoulders.

The Dragon Slayer was in a pair of orange swim trunks that had a black flame pattern on its left leg; a yellow border separating the two colors. He also wore a pair of black wristbands and had his white scale scarf wrapped around his forehead as a large headband. "So let's go!" Natsu said with a laugh as the other four walked up. Erza had a pure black bikini on that left her blue Fairy Tail mark exposed her left arm, Gray wore a pair of ice blue trunks with dark blue stripes going up the sides, Happy had donned a pair of yellow trunks, and Link wore a pair of deep blue trunks.

Lucy blinked at him in surprise before she giggled happily and nodded her head. "You're right. Let's enjoy this!" She declared and Happy jumped into the air.

"Aye!" He shouted and the six of them ran to the ocean with wide smiles on their faces.

Link was the first one to reach the water and immediately jumped high in the air into a graceful swan dive fifteen feet out. His momentum propelled him another ten feet forward, his body travelling a couple of inches under the surface of the water, before he broke the surface and jumped up ten feet in a manner more befitting a creature of the ocean. He seemed to shine as the sun hit the water droplets that fell from him, an image that lasted only a few seconds before he dived back into the water and disappeared from view momentarily before he came back up to tread water.

Just as he wiped the water from his eyes, Erza broke the surface and pushed him back under the water with a playful smile. He immediately slipped free from her grasp and came up a few feet away with a powerful splash at the redhead. Erza shook the water from her eyes, the action causing her hair to splatter against her face and neck, and soon a splash fight between the two ensued. A few seconds later the splash fight erupted into a full war as Natsu, Gray, and Lucy, albeit a bit nervously, joined in with Happy flying overhead and looking for openings for splash-and-fly attacks.

After the splash war ended, in which Lucy was surprised to find her life hadn't been endangered even once, they all split off to have fun.

Natsu and Happy followed Lucy as she went to rent a giant rainbow-colored fish to ride through the clear water. "Hey, that looks like fun!" Natsu said with a wide smile as Lucy got ready to mount the fish. "Come on, gimme a ride as well." He said and Lucy sighed before she paused as a mischievous glint came to her eyes.

"Sure thing, just give me a second." She said and Natsu nodded his head eagerly. A couple of minutes later, Lucy let out a loud cheer as the fish jumped through the waves with a purple raft tied to it. "Isn't this great?" She called back to Natsu as they sped through the water.

"Brrfff..." Natsu groaned out as he barely hung on to the raft. "Make it... stop..." He barely got out before he put his hand over his mouth.

"What?" Lucy asked as she looked back in mock confusion. "Go faster?" She asked and Natsu struggled to raise his head to glare at her before he dropped back down on his stomach. "You got it, Natsu!" She said with a laugh and did a whipping motion with the reins that caused the fish to put on a new burst of speed.

"I think Lucy knows you want to stop." Happy remarked as he flew alongside the raft before he carefully landed in. "Faster, Lucy!" He called out with a laugh and Natsu gave a whimper of complaint.

Gray looked up from the beach as the three sped by in the water and let out a sigh. "It's like they're children." He said before he returned his attention to the ornate sand castle he was building. Already at least four feet high, Gray was still in the process of completing its seven towers as he took a moment to draw some graceful lines along its base. Four of the towers were each set at a corner of the sand castle with three set near the center in a straight line; the center one rising a few inches above the other two. Unbeknownst to him, a certain Water Mage watched from behind a nearby tree, dressed in a dark blue bikini with pink polka dots; showing off a very curvaceous figure normally hidden under her conservative clothing.

Link and Erza were currently locked in an intense battle on the sand, both of them moving back and forth quickly in reaction to the other. At least a dozen people had started to gather around to watch them in growing amazement at their quick movements and agility. "Hard to believe they're only playing volleyball, isn't it?" One brunette in a red bikini asked her friend, a blonde in a blue one-piece swimsuit, and got a nod of agreement from her. The two long time partners were indeed going all out in a simple one on one volleyball match, short of using their magic, and the crowd was starting to get larger to watch them go at it.

"Hey..." The blonde suddenly said as a blush started to form on her face. "Isn't that Link?" She asked and the brunette blinked in surprise before she studied him more closely. Others were also beginning to recognize not only Link, but Erza as well, and it wasn't long before the crowd was split cheering for one or the other.

The rest of the day was spent with all of them either having fun in the sand or in the water, whether they were all together, by themselves, or in small groups. It wasn't until the sun started to set that they went back to their suites to relax and prepare for more fun after the sun went down.

Erza gave a sigh of contentment as she walked from her room to her private balcony, a feature every suite shared, and lazily sank down on a beach chair to enjoy the remaining rays of sun. As she closed her eyes, she went through all the fun of the day with a tired smile on her face. _Today... really was fun. _She thought as she slowly started to doze. _Natsu even almost got one over on Link. _A small chuckle escaped her as the image of Natsu running in the ocean to shore with Link's trunks in the air flashed through her mind. It hadn't taken Link long to retrieve them, of course, but the look of surprise and then a hint of panic on his face was one she would remember for a long time. _Truly, today really was... a blast... _Was her final thought as she finally drifted off to sleep.

_"Erza..." _A voice from her past said, a young boy talking to her gently and with understanding._ "In this world..." _He said before trailing off and her eyes tightened in anticipated fear, though she did not awaken.

_"Faster, you dogs!" A loud, angry voice rang out from a tall man in a loose, blue body-suit, a maroon jacket with gray lining and tied with a yellow sash, and a white mask that covered the top half of his face with a dragon figure drawn in the center. "I said faster!" He roared from on top of a raised platform as he lashed out with a whip, drawing a cry of pain._

_Below him, dozens of people dressed in rags slaved away as they dragged huge stone blocks across the floor. The people were old, middle-aged, and young, both male and female, and all of them looked equally undernourished as well as overworked as they struggled with all their might to continue moving about their assigned tasks. It hardly mattered, as the taskmaster on the platform continued to whip any of them with impunity, not even caring whether they were actually slowing down or not. __Cries of pain echoed throughout the site, a construction site that appeared for a large building, as the ground was scattered with a mixture of sweat, blood, and tears that the dry stone hungrily soaked up. _

_In the midst of this travesty, a young girl with short, scarlet hair watched it all with brown eyes filled with fear and confusion. Tears slowly formed as the cries of pain intermingled with the cry of anger and crack of a whip, and she finally scrunched down while she covered her ears with her hands. _

_"There is no such thing as freedom!" The voice turned from gentle and understanding to evil and spiteful._

Erza gasped as she lurched up into an upright sitting position, her body soaked in sweat, and she quickly looked down with fear in her eyes to see she was back at Akane Resort, dressed in her black bikini, and fully grown. _A dream... just a dream. _She told herself as she tried to bring the shaking under control, something that took a couple of minutes despite her reassurances it was just a dream. Once she got her body under control, she quickly got up and went back in her room; closing the glass door firmly behind her as if to shut out her dream.

As Erza walked further into the room, she passed by a large vanity mirror and stopped as she noticed her reflection. She looked at herself for a few seconds before she smiled and ran her hands up through her hair, flicking it back, before she placed her hands on her bare shoulders. She held that pose for several seconds before she closed her eyes as her smile became a wry smirk and her hands dropped from her shoulders.

_"How come you're almost always in armor?" _

Erza's eyes snapped open as the question echoed in her mind, something Link had asked her just a couple of days before he had been chosen to participate in the S-Class Promotion Trial.

* * *

_**Three And A Half Years Ago**_

_Night was descending as Link finished lighting a campfire when he asked his question and Erza blinked in shock at the question. After several long moments she shook her head, which sent her scarlet pony tail in a short bounce, while Link silently sat down across from her and waited patiently for her to answer. __"What?" Erza asked as she looked at Link in surprise. He remained quiet, however, and eventually Erza sighed as she looked to the side. "I... feel safer with it on." She admitted and this time it was Link who blinked in surprise as his ears twitched twice at her answer._

_"But you even wear it in the Guild Hall." Link said and Erza's eyes tightened in response. The blonde mage was silent for several moments as he regarded her before he sighed and looked down at the ground. "Is it for the body... or the heart?" He asked and immediately Erza's eyes snapped over to him with an intense glare. He was silent as he felt her glare for several long moments before he simply nodded his head. "Erza... just remember that armor can hinder as well as protect." Link said before he got up to jump on to a tree branch and lowered his cap over his eyes._

* * *

_Link... I still don't understand it... _She thought as she opened her eyes to stare into her confused expression. _What were you trying to say? _Erza wondered as she brought her right hand up to lightly place it over her heart. _What's so wrong... with burying a bad past? _She asked as her eyes became tinged with a deep sadness. The redhead closed her eyes to focus her thoughts to the fun she was currently having with everyone, but they only remained closed for a couple of seconds before they snapped open again. _I almost forgot... _She thought before she brought her right hand away from her chest and Requipped a green leather book to her left hand, the same book she had asked Link about before Loke had gone missing. _The adventures he went through in Hyrule... the painful memories I always thought he was burying... _Erza paused for a moment as she slowly reached out with her free hand to open the cover. _He's trusting me with-_

"Erza, are you in there?!" Lucy suddenly called outside of her door and Erza jumped a little in surprise before Ex-Equipping the book as the door opened. "Good, you're here." Lucy said with a wide smile as she walked in wearing a slinky red dress and matching high heels. Low cut to show an ample amount of her cleavage, the dress also had a long slit on the right side that went up to her hip and allowed a clear view of her shapely leg. Around her neck she tied a red ribbon in the same shade of her dress and had a similar ribbon that held her blonde hair up in its usual style. "You won't believe it, this place also has its own casino in the basement." She said and Erza blinked in mild surprise. "Natsu, Happy, and Gray are already down there." Lucy said and then paused as Erza gave a smirk of amusement.

"A casino, huh?" The redhead asked before she closed her eyes and Ex-Exquipped her bikini and Requipped an equally slinky purple dress with red rose patterns on the chest area. The dress had a long slit on the left side that allowed freedom of movement, allowed a wonderful view of a shapely leg, and came with a pair of long, white satin gloves. During the transformation her hair had also been done up in a high bun and Erza walked towards Lucy on purple high heels. "Natsu, Happy, and Gray, you say?" Erza asked and Lucy nodded her head. "What about Link?"

"Well, I stopped by his room on the way up but he didn't answer." Lucy said before she offered a bright smile. "I thought he might be sleeping, so I... hey, Erza?" The blonde looked over in confusion as Erza simply walked by her into the hall. "Where are you-?"

"Going to get Link, obviously." Erza said as she walked down the hallway and Lucy blinked before she shut the door and hurried after her. _Today is not a day to dwell on the past... _She told herself firmly before a small, content smile came to her. _Today is for the present and nothing else. _She determined as Lucy got up beside her.

Lucy was still visibly uncertain when they stopped at the door to Link's room, but Erza showed no such hesitation as she opened the unlocked door and walked in. The second Lucy followed her in she immediately locked up in shock as her face became bright red and gave a squeak of surprise before she quickly spun around.

Link froze where he had walked out of the bathroom before his head cocked to the side with a questioning expression as he put his white towel over his shoulder, which became the only cloth on his body. Beads of water still dripped from his blonde hair and ran down his toned body from the shower he had just gotten out of. In contrast to Lucy, he seemed unfazed by his state of undress in front of the two women.

"I figured that's why you didn't answer Lucy earlier." Erza remarked with a tolerant smile and Link blinked before he turned his gaze to Lucy, who peaked back over her shoulder before she quickly looked forward again. "Come on, there's a casino in the basement of the resort everyone will be at." She said and Link paused for a moment before he crossed his arms over his chest as he arched his right eyebrow up. "Well, there's nothing wrong with dressing up once in a while, is there?" She asked with a challenging smile and Link's expression soured slightly for an instant before it cleared again.

"Umm... Link... could you wrap the towel around your waist?" Lucy cut in and Link's ears twitched a couple of times as he blinked in confusion.

After a few seconds he reached up to grab the towel and tied it around his waist. "Done." He said and Lucy took another peek back and sighed in relief before she turned around to face him.

"Natsu, Gray, and Happy are already down there." The Stellar Spirit Mage said and Erza stepped forward and cleared her throat.

"Since this is a casino at a high-class resort, make sure to wear your tuxedo." She said and Link nodded his head with a sigh. He had already picked up on her meaning, but he held out the hope she wouldn't say it point-blank so he could plead ignorance. Erza's smirk told him she knew the source of his sigh, to which he offered a small shrug.

"Wait a minute!" Lucy cut in with a surprised expression and both of them looked at her curiously. "Link, you actually have a tuxedo?" She asked and Link nodded his head after a short pause, the action causing some more water to drip from his hair. Lucy continued to look at him in surprise for several seconds before she shook her head in amazement. "I have to see it to believe it." She said and Erza laughed softly into her hand.

"It did take some convincing to get him to buy one." The redhead admitted and Lucy giggled at his sigh of resignation. Link brought both hands up in a shooing motion to get them out of his room, and the two amused women moved to comply. "We'll see you downstairs later." Erza said as she started to close the door and Link replied with a grin and another shooing motion.

* * *

_**Akane Resort Casino**_

Bright lights stationed in multiple locations around the massive underground casino lit up every corner and effectively removed almost every shadow from the building. If that wasn't enough, small stars of light floated around to further highlight the ornate and beautifully designed gambling area; which was a riot of bright blues, greens, and an excess of purple. With the imaginative design of the different gambling areas, some ranging to the excessive machines to the more traditional tables and booths. A giant snowman statue with a blue round penguin head and an orbiting double helix around it dominated one wall; the words "AKANE RESORT" printed in bold yellow words in the red mouth. There was even a couple of rodeo machines that tested a person's ability to stay on as long as possible. For the finisher on how over-the-top the building was, part of a roller coaster from the amusement park also ran through the upper levels. The sounds of happy screaming added to the bustle of the place as a tram sped in on the track while everyone else inside the casino went about and enjoyed themselves as they either tried to earn some extra income or just enjoyed the challenge of beating the odds.

Natsu, dressed in his usual attire, and Happy were standing in front of a machine with a large bowl filled with different numbered and colored balls positioned on top of a large machine. The machine had several brightly colored buttons that had numbers that corresponded to each of the balls that swirled inside the large bowl. The Fire Dragon Slayer watched the balls for a few seconds as they swirled around before he brought his right hand up over his head. "Seventeen!" He roared as he brought his hand down to hit the button labeled seventeen again and again. "Come on, seventeen!" He yelled out again as Happy brought his paws up.

"Come on, seventeen!" He echoed vehemently as the display in front of them, which featured three stationary balls representing the numbers chosen, cycled quickly through the different numbers before they started to slow down. Finally, the display they needed to win started to stop scrolling and eventually landed on seventeen.

"All righ- WHAT?!" They both started to celebrate before screaming in disbelief as the number suddenly changed to sixteen.

"Seventeen! Seventeen!" Natsu roared as he resumed hitting the button again and again. "Go back to seventeen!" He demanded angrily as he kept wailing on the button.

"Seventeen!" Happy protested as he pointed angrily at the machine.

"S-sir!" One of the Akane resort staff members called out as he walked up nervously. The man had wavy brown hair and was dressed in black slacks, shoes, and sleeveless vest over a white, long-sleeved shirt. "Please don't do that." He requested and Natsu spun around with tears of anger running from his eyes.

"But it stopped on seventeen for a second!" He protested as he pointed at the machine with his left hand. "That's not fair!" He declared as his right hand clenched into a fist.

"Sev. En. TEEN!" Happy roared as his paws flailed about angrily.

The staff member watched them for a few seconds before he slumped with a tired sigh. "You don't have to cry about it..." He said before he turned around with a shake of his head. _Some people just don't understand that if you gamble you can lose as well as win. _He lamented, for these two were hardly the first wailers of the day.

Gray shook his head as he heard the two of them from a nearby craps table as he rolled a pair of dice in his hands. The Ice-Make mage was dressed in a pair of black slacks, shoes, with a red, long-sleeved button up shirt and a black tie to finish up his attire. "Those two are hopeless." He said with a sigh that was a mixture of resignation and amusement. Gray got ready to let loose with the dice when someone stepped up next to him, prompting him to look up curiously. His hands shot open, freeing the dice, as his eyes widened in surprise when he recognized who it was.

"Gray-sama." A smiling Juvia said as she looked with sparkling blue eyes and a blush on her face. "Juvia is here." The Water Mage wore a ritzy blue dress that barely covered more than her bikini had earlier. In addition, she also wore a golden Fairy Tail necklace large enough to cover roughly half of her chest.

"Damn this cheating machine!" Natsu continued to complain as he glared up at the gambling device. "I'll teach it to pull something like that." He declared as fire erupted around his right hand.

The staff member turned around at the sound and his eyes went wide in alarm. "S-sir! Please calm down!" He pleaded in a useless attempt to calm the Dragon Slayer down, and the man feared that very soon an explosion would soon follow.

"Hahahaha... what a child." A deep voice said mockingly and Natsu immediately looked over with a sound of surprised anger. "Gambling is a place for adults... for dandies. Do you understand?" The man continued and Natsu's eyes, as well as Happy's, nearly flew from their sockets when they saw who was talking so condescendingly to him.

"Block man!" Natsu and Happy yelled in shock.

The man did indeed appear to be made of blocks, with everything about him looking like squares or rectangles; including his fingers. Dressed in a dark suit with a white undershirt and red tie, as well grey shoes custom-made to support his odd physique, the man also wore a mulberry fedora, black shades, and a white scarf draped loosely over his shoulders. What could be seen of his black hair under the fedora matched his body, set at perfect ninety-degree angles around his face, although his five clock shadow, something that covered half of his face, ended in a dome at the bridge of his nose. He was currently sitting on a chair, which was an odd sight as his legs appeared to completely separate where knees would normally be, hanging on only by a thin line. "Listen closely, boy." The block man continued as turned to face Natsu. "There are only two paths a man can travel." He said as he brought up to fingers to emphasize his point and Natsu looked at him curiously. "He can either live on in a dandy fashion..." The block man trailed off before an evil smirk came to him as his legs shimmered momentarily.

In that same instant, Natsu found himself bound by dozens of small blue blocks firmly against the gambling machine he had been about to lose his temper on. "What the?" The Dragon Slayer yelled in surprise as he looked one arm then the other.

"Natsu!" Happy called out as he flew over and tried to pry the blocks away from his friend.

"Or..." The block man continued as he brought his right arm up while it shimmered. Once the light cleared, the arm was now a polygon-shaped rifle with the barrel pointed directly at Natsu. "He can roll over and die." He said and a square-shaped laser sight shot out to land in the middle of Natsu's forehead.

* * *

Gray and Juvia were sitting at a small bar with drinks in front of them, both of them unaware of Natsu's plight. "So, what have you been up to?" Gray asked as he sipped on a dark purple drink. Once it had become obvious she didn't mean to attack him, the Ice Mage had no qualms about pocketing his current winnings and taking a break. A smart gambler didn't count on a winning streak to last forever, after all. More than that, he was curious to see what the former Phantom Lord mage wanted with him.

"Ever since Phantom Lord was disbanded, Juvia has been working as an Independent Mage." Juvia said, her own purple drink sitting ignored in front of her. "However... Juvia would like to join another Guild." She said as she looked down at her drink and squirmed anxiously.

Gray looked at her for a few seconds before he shook his head and took a sip of his drink with an amused grin. "Let me guess..." He said before he took another sip then put his drink down. "You'd like to join Fairy Tail, right?" With his tone, it could be taken as either a statement or a question, but considering the medallion she was wearing it seemed a forgone conclusion what Guild she wanted to join.

"Yes!" Juvia said emphatically as she looked up at Gray with a pleading expression in her blue eyes. "More than anything!" She continued as she leaned toward him.

"H-hold on a second!" Gray said as he put up his right hand to stop her. "First of all, that's not up to me, Master Makarov has to make that call." He firmly said and Juvia nodded her head. "Honestly, after your part in Phantom Lord's attack, I don't know if even the old man will be okay with you joining." The Ice Mage admitted with a shake of his head and immediately leaned back as Juvia thrust closer to him, her eyes burning with determination.

"Juvia will do anything!" She exclaimed and Gray put up both hands as he loked at her nervously.

"I believe you!" Gray said and Juvia paused as she looked at him. "I just want you to know that even with my word, Master still might not agree, that's all." He explained and Juvia blinked in surprise at his words before a bright smile spread across her face.

"Gray Fullbuster." A tall figure behind them said in a deep, commanding voice and the two mages both immediately looked over at him. The man wore a pair of loose dark grey pants, a dark grey long sleeve that only covered his left arm, and a light blue wide strip of cloth decorated with halberd head insignias that started from his right shoulder and went across his chest to his left waist, where it was tucked in by a white cloth that also acted as a belt. A white turban wrapped around the top of his head covered all but a few stray brown hairs, and a metal jaw covering lent him a menacing air, something the eye-patch over his left eye did nothing to soften. All of these combined with a physique to rival Elfman's in both height and muscle structure immediately put Gray on guard.

Before Gray could say anything, the man's right eye glowed for a second and the bar immediately exploded. People screamed in surprise and fear as they were caught up in the shockwave or close enough to witness its sudden destruction. The sound of both explosion and screams was muffled by the large parade going on outside, combined with the fireworks and roller coaster running through the upper portions of the casino.

Gray sat up with a grunt of pain before a groan from Juvia got his attention. He looked over to see her still prone amidst the destroyed bar and his eyes went wide with concern. "Juvia!" He called out before he remembered the man and quickly glared over at him. "Why you... Who the hell are you?" He demanded of the impassive giant.

"Where is Erza?" The tall man asked and Gray blinked in surprise at the question.

"What?" Gray asked as he looked at the block man at the question, unsure he had heard the request properly. _What does he want with Erza?_

* * *

At another table, Erza was playing poker while Lucy watched in amazement as the redhead put down a straight flush, ace high. "Incredible, Erza!" The blonde exclaimed as she watched Erza's stack of winnings grow.

"I'm on a roll, today." Erza said with her confident smirk. "I don't think I can lose to anyone." She said and the dealer gave a defeated sigh, for she truly seemed to be on a hot streak that didn't seem to be losing momentum.

"Dealer change." The dealer heard and looked back to see a dark skinned man with spiky blonde hair in the Akane Resort uniform.

"Y-yeah." He said with a quick bow and made good his escape. "Good luck with the redheaded one." He whispered on his way past his relief and got a smile from him.

"Don't worry, I've got a good feeling." The blonde replied with a smirk that brought attention to the 5-shaped tattoo near his chin and a chain earring with a diamond at the end.

"The opponent doesn't matter, I'll still win." Erza said and Lucy winked at her.

"Yup!" She agreed brightly while the new dealer took his position at the table.

"In that case..." The dealer said as he brought out a deck from his pocket and sent them through a weave shuffle, ending with sending the cards flying from one hand to other with a two foot gap between them. "How about we play a special game?" He asked and Erza blinked in surprise at the offer before she looked down as the dealer dealt out five cards, face up. When she looked down at the cards, her eyes went wide as they were not standard cards, but instead each held a single letter.

**D-E-A-T-H**

"It's a game where you don't play with coins... but instead your life." The dealer said before he leaned forward. "Erza-nee-san." He finished with an evil smirk and Erza quickly looked up, where her eyes went wide with shock.

"Sh... Sho..." She stammered out as she stared at the blonde.

Sho's smirk widened as he brought his hands up in a mock shrug. "It's been quite a while, hasn't it, Nee-san?" He asked and Lucy looked between the two curiously.

"Nee-san?" She asked before she noticed the look of panic in Erza's eyes.

"You were... safe?" The redhead slowly asked and Sho's eyes flared momentarily with an evil light.

"Safe?" He asked quietly and Erza shrank back from the question.

"I mean... um..." She stammered out and Lucy reached out to grab her shoulder.

"Erza..." She said gently, trying to figure out what was going on.

* * *

Gray shot to his feet and got into a ready stance, though he stopped himself short of bringing his hands up for Ice-Make. "What was that?" He asked as his hands clenched into fists.

"Where is Erza?" The giant asked as he impassively stood there.

"Why the hell would I tell you that?" Gray demanded and the giant's eye narrowed slightly.

"Very well." He said as his impassive voice took an edge and Gray immediately brought his hands up. Before they could exchange blows, water gushed together between them and formed into the blue haired Water Mage, who immediately thrust her arms out to each side.

"You will not harm Gray-sama." Juvia stated firmly as she glared at the giant and Gray blinked in surprise and took a step towards her. "Gray-sama, you need to go and find Erza." She said before he could say anything but Gray gave no indication he was going to leave. "She's obviously the target here, so she's in danger." Juvia continued and Gray grit his teeth before he nodded his head.

"What?" The giant suddenly said as he brought his right index and middle fingers to his head. "You've already found her?" He asked the air then nodded his head as Juvia and Gray's eyes widened in alarm. "Very well, I'll finish things up here." He said then brought his hand down and returned his attention to Juvia and Gray. "It appears I no longer need you." The giant said before his eye glowed again and the entire casino was covered in an impenetrable darkness.

"What's this?" Gray asked as he tried to see anything around him. The Ice Mage could hear Juvia nearby him making similar sounds of confusion and knew that this was a widespread spell, not just something focusing on him. _Damnit, where is that basta-_

"Yami Setsuna." He heard from behind him and quickly looked back to see more darkness. A second later he barely heard Juvia's scream of pain over his own as they were hit by a giant explosion.

* * *

Natsu looked around as he futilely attempted to see through the darkness that had suddenly surrounded him. "What the hell is going on?!" He yelled in frustration as he renewed his efforts at breaking free of the blocks. "I can't see a thing!" He called out desperately while the block man watched in amusement.

"Natsu, where are you?" Happy called out as he groped around blindly.

"I'm here!" Natsu immediately replied then hesitated as he stopped struggling for a moment. "But... where is here?" He asked before he heard a dark chuckle from the block man.

"Good night, boy." The block man said, for he had heard the same report that the giant had received.

Natsu growled at the condescending words as he resumed his struggle. "Don't give me that, you-!" The sound of a gunshot cut off the pink haired mage and Happy's eyes went wide as he turned around, but his friend's voice didn't resume.

"Natsu..." Happy slowly said before he felt a block-like hand grab the back of his neck.

* * *

Erza and Lucy both looked around uncertainly in the darkness as they tried to figure out what had happened when the sound of a gunshot made Lucy lock up. "A gunshot?" She said nervously before they both closed their eyes as the light suddenly returned, momentarily blinding them. When they could both see again, they immediately looked for Sho only to find him gone.

"Sho! Where are you?" Erza called out as she looked around warily.

"Hmmm? I'm right behind you, Nee-san." They heard and immediately both turned around to see Sho standing there with that same sadistic grin in place before he spread his hands out. Cards fell from his open hands in a random wave to pile around him on the ground, cards that held imprisoned citizens that all looked around in varying stages of shock and fear while half of them were currently banging against the surface of the cards in an attempt to break free.

"That's..." Erza said as her eyes widened in shock, which combined with her previous shaken state to leave her unable to act as she normally would.

"They're trapped in the cards." Lucy exclaimed as she took a step back as her left arm came up in an instinctive gesture of defense.

"Help me!"

"Get me out of here!"

"Please let me go!"

Sho gave a dark chuckle as he offered a small bow to their shocked expressions before standing up and returned his attention to Erza. "Curious?" He asked mockingly and Erza blinked as she somewhat recovered from her daze upon seeing his ability.

"Magic..." The Requip Mage said softly and Sho grinned in agreement.

"That's right, I can do it now as well, Nee-san." He said as he put his hands on his hips. "Impressed?" Sho asked as he cocked his head slightly to the right, his tone holding a trace of a desire to hear her say yes.

The tone was lost on Erza, who was still reeling from seeing the other blonde. "How... what have you-?"

"Nya." A feminine voice cut in and a light brown whip that ended in a cat's paw shot out from behind them to entangle Lucy. It grabbed her wrists and forced them together as it pulled them up over her head, trapping her elbows with her head between them as if in a vice while the whip twirled down to entrap her legs. To finish it off, the end that had tied to her wrists shot down to connect to her entwined ankles, effectively cutting off all mobility.

"Lucy!" Erza called out as the blonde gave a short scream of surprise that was cut off with a grunt when she was suddenly pulled back.

The blonde stopped when she hit a counter, where a rather unusual looking woman who held the other end of the cat paw whip was sitting. With light brown skin and hair that was a couple of shades lighter, she had moderate curves in a short pink dress with a light pink bow and a ruffle bottom that reached to mid-thigh with a few blue paw print designs on the middle. Over that she wore a long-sleeved bright yellow jacket with a few black lines that barely reached to her midriff left open, which showed off a black choker with a bell attached to it. Thigh high stockings covered her legs, which went down to a pair black shoes. As if her clothes weren't unusual enough, her hair was designed into a pair of cat ears with the remainder of going down into a double ponytail held by indigo bands. Her face had four red whisker-like tattoos and her nose was that of a feline, as well as her light brown eyes. "Super strong, right?" She asked with a perky smile as she brought one hand up in an imitation of a cat. "Meow, meow!"

"Millianna!" Erza's shock was fully returning as she stared at the catgirl. "You... you can use magic as well?" She asked and Millianna responded with a nod of her head.

"How have you been, Er-chan?" The brunette asked and Erza swallowed before she mentally shook herself.

"Milliana, please release Lucy! She's my nakama!" Erza pleaded but the cat woman just cocked her head at her curiously.

"Nakama?" She asked as she brought a finger to her lips in confusion. "I thought we were your nakama, nya." Milliana said and Erza blinked before she looked down with uncertain eyes.

_They were... nakama? _Lucy wondered in surprise as she fought against the pain of the constricting whip.

"We were, weren't we?" Sho asked and Erza took an unconscious step away as brought her right hand up to grip her left arm. "Or at least we were... before you betrayed us, Nee-san." He added as his eyes took on a malicious gleam and Erza closed her eyes in pain against his accusation. Instead of pushing further, though, Sho just calmly put his hands in his pockets as he let her stew.

"Don't abuse Erza so much, Sho." A deep voice suddenly said and Sho cocked his head in annoyance before the block man that had shot Natsu slowly digitized next to him. So perfect was his position that his left arm appeared over the blonde's shoulders, who returned his ire to Erza. "A man who's a dandy should keep his emotions in check." He lightly scolded and Sho offered a small sigh.

Lucy's eyes went wide in complete shock as she saw this new arrival. "What a blockhead?!" She screamed before she wobbled as she almost unbalanced herself and almost fell to the ground while Erza's eyes showed the same surprise at his appearance.

The block man turned his attention from Sho to Erza and offered her a smile and a thumbs-up. "Long time no see." He said with a nod of his head. "You grew yourself a pretty hot body there, Erza." He complimented but Erza just continued to look at him in surprise.

After a few more moments, her eyes cleared with a hint of recognition. "Are you... Wally?" She asked uncertainly, for the kid she remembered only very basically resembled the man before her.

"I suppose it's not surprising you don't recognize me." Wally said with a self-deprecating chuckle and a small shake of his head before he tipped his hat. "Back then, when I was called, "Mad Dog Wally", I was a lot more... rough around the edges." He said with a bright smile and Lucy's eye twitched at the joke while even Sho offered a small sigh at it.

Erza straightened her stance as she let go of her arm as she started to regain her presence once again. "You also use magic?" She asked, but was unprepared for the answer she got.

"You shouldn't be surprised." Another male voice said and Erza immediately locked up and swallowed. "Once you get the hang of it..." The voice trailed off as a dark mist appeared behind her before the giant that had attacked Gray and Juvia appeared from the darkness. "Once you get the hang of it, anyone can use magic." He said as the dark mist disappeared from around him. "Isn't that right, Erza?" He asked as he looked down at her impassively.

Erza moved away from the giant while she turned to face him and her eyes tightened painfully. "Simon..." The redhead said as she looked up at the large Darkness Mage and barely noticed when Milliana pushed Lucy to the ground.

Lucy grunted with the impact before she looked up at Erza in confusion. "Erza, who are these people, and why does that guy call you nee-san?" She asked and the Requip Mage looked at them all before she looked away and down at the ground.

"I'm... not really Sho's sister." Erza said slowly as memories of her past continued to batter her. After a few seconds, she brought her shame-filled gaze back up to the four mages as they stood there waiting; Sho with a smile that was comprised both pleasure and scorn, Wally and Milliana with genuine smiles, and Simon just stood in the back with the same impassive expression he'd had since the beginning. "I was their nakama before I joined Fairy Tail." She confirmed and Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief.

"But... haven't you been in Fairy Tail since a long time ago?" Lucy asked in confusion before she winced in pain. "Happy said you and Link have been partners for eight years." She continued but Erza remained silent as her eyes tightened.

After a few more seconds of silence, Erza looked over at Lucy with a shallow gulp. "Like I said, this was before that." She said and the Stellar Spirit Mage's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you four want?" The redhead asked calmly as she looked back at them and Sho blinked before he shook his head in mock sorrow.

"Nee-san, is that really the way you greet us after all this time?" He asked and Erza's eyes flinched again as she took a step back.

"W-well, I... I mean..." Erza stammered uncertainly and Sho chuckled darkly at her.

"Enough, Sho." Simon said as he put one massive hand on the blonde's shoulder, who looked up at him in annoyance but subsided. "Erza, we've come to take you back." He said and Erza's eyes widened in an expression of base fear for a moment before she quickly regained control.

After only a second of deliberation, she glanced back at Lucy then looked forward again. "Please, let go of Lucy." Erza said but Milliana just cocked her head with a curious, "Nya?" while Sho shook his head in amusement.

"I don't think you understand something, Erza." Wally said as he pointed his right finger at Lucy with a confident smirk on his face. "Unless you do what we say..." He trailed off as his arm shimmered and then disappeared, leaving him lacking an arm.

"No, don't- ung!" Erza started to scream in a panic before she was cut off as Wally's arm materialized behind her in rifle form and shot her in the back.

"Erza!" Lucy screamed as her eyes widened in horror while Erza collapsed to the ground. "Erza!" She screamed once more as she hit the ground in an unmoving heap while Wally's rifle returned to his arm.

"You only tranquilized her, right?" Sho asked while Simon calmly walked up to the prone Requip Mage and crouched down to pick her up bridal style.

"Of course, I know-" Wally cut himself off as the sound of a large door flying off its hinges turned them all around to see Link running through the now door-less opening that had been the casino's main entrance. The Maharathi came to a stop as he took in the sight before him and his eyes narrowed while his ears went straight back. "Well, what do we have here?" Wally asked as he pointed his rifle at him while hope shone in Lucy's eyes. "Get out of the way, pretty boy." He taunted as the square laser appeared between the blonde's eyes, for Link was now in a dark green formal tuxedo tailored to him with a blue undershirt and a red rose pinned over his heart. His usually wild blonde hair was combed straight at the middle to the left and the right, and Milliana blinked in surprise as a small blush came to her face.

"You guys are in for it now." Lucy said with a confident smile as Link stood his ground at the threat and Wally's eyes narrowed. "You'd better give up now, because once Gray and Natsu get here, you'll be done." She said but a dark chuckle from Wally made her smile shrink a little.

"Those two were the ones who were in for it." Wally said and Lucy's eyes went in surprise. "I took care of the pink-haired brat, and Simon here took out Gray." He explained and Lucy's jaw dropped.

"N-no way... you guys took out both of them?" She stammered out as Link's ears flicked a couple of times.

Link's face showed no hesitation of fighting though as he took a step forward and pointed at them with his left hand. "Release Lucy and Erza and you won't be harmed." He said and though Simon's eye narrowed slightly at his tone, the other three seemed to find his words amusing.

"I've heard your strong, _Maharathi _Link." Sho said as he slouched forward with his hands in his pockets, emphasizing the word Maharathi with a mocking tone. "But we've taken down three of your Guild's strongest mages with hardly any effort." He said and Lucy gulped as she realized the truth to his words. "Do you really think you stand a chance?!" He yelled out the last word as his hands shot out of his pockets to send a barrage of a dozen razor-sharp poker cards

"Link!" Lucy screamed even as Link brought his hands up and Requipped a staff that he immediately put it into a defensive spin that deflected all the cards without so much as putting a scratch on Link's tuxedo. The Maharathi did a final twirl before he slammed one end against the ground and sent out a small shockwave that reached all the way to Sho, Milliana, Simon, Wally, and Lucy. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise at Link's display before a small smile appeared on her face that only wavered slightly through another wince of pain and as the others got into stances more suited for battle.

Sho summoned more cards to his hands and crossed his arms over his chest to bring his hands up by his face while he lowered his center of gravity.

Wally's smirk disappeared as he brought one leg back to better balance against any recoil.

Milliana summoned more of her cat-paw whip to her hands and pulled it fully tense between them as she also brought a leg back in preparation to send it flying out at Link.

Simon slowly went to one knee to put Erza down to free his hands and paused for a moment as he looked down at her unconscious form before he stood straight again. "You will not stop us from completing our objective." He stated firmly before his eye glowed and plunged the casino into darkness once again.

* * *

Into the Past: True Strength

Deep in the forests surrounding Magnolia, a fifteen year old Link jumped through the trees at a high rate, occasionally dropping down to check the ground before jumping back up to move among the trees. With his green Kokiri attire and skilled movements, it was almost impossible for anyone to spot him but for those moments he dropped down. As he sped along the branches, he replayed the conversation that now sent him to what he was sure to be an explosive conversation.

_"Link!" Lisanna called out as Link walked in to the Guild Hall and the green clad mage immediately looked over at her curiously. "Can I ask a favor from you?" She asked and the blonde cocked his head curiously at her. "I know you're waiting for Erza to get back from her first solo S-Class Job, but this shouldn't take very long... hopefully." She said before she looked over as Elfman walked up to them._

_"Lisanna... are you sure that this is __a good idea?" The larger mage asked and Lisanna nodded her head confidently._

_At this point, however, Link started to look uncertain as he looked between the two. He was starting to get a bad feeling he knew what the favor Lisanna was about to ask, and if it involved the person he thought it did he was definitely on Elfman's side. "It's about Mira-nee." Lisanna said and Link's ears twitched. "She's still... upset that Erza got the better of her in the S-Class Promotion Trial two weeks ago." She started but Link had already taken a step back and put both hands up. "She's not listening to us, but she respects you, so-" Lisanna stopped when she saw the look of surprise in Link's eyes. "Mira-nee respected you ever since... your thirteenth birthday." She said and Elfman nodded his head when Link blinked his eyes at the surprising news._

_"Nee-chan isn't very good with expressing herself sometimes, but that's why she became so intent on fighting you since then." Elfman said before he looked at his younger sister uncertainly. "But still, I don't know if it's a good idea to send him to talk to her about this." He said but Lisanna shook her head in disagreement._

_"Mira-nee hasn't listened to either of us, maybe Link will have a better chance." She said as she returned her attention to Link with a hopeful expression. Link still looked uncertain about it, but in the end he nodded his head in agreement. "Great!" Lisanna said happily before she grabbed his arm. "You'll find her at her training spot. I'll show you where it is on a map." She said cheerfully as she pulled him to the bar._

Link came to a stop as a massive explosion took place forty feet ahead of him and waited for a few seconds as more smaller explosions followed. _Sounds like Mirajane is really going all out. _He thought and contemplated staying hidden to get closer but dismissed it. _If what Lisanna said is correct, she's on edge enough to sense me and take exception. _He decided and dropped down to finish the final distance on the ground.

A few minutes later Link slammed through an old oak tree, the impact making him cough up some blood, before he flipped in the air to land on his feet. The instant he landed on his feet he dashed forward to jump on the falling tree and ride it down back into the clearing he had just been expelled from, and almost a second later jumped up to avoid a blast of Darkness Magic and retaliated with a dozen red orbs that went flying at Satan Soul Mirajane. The Take Over Mage flew a weaving pattern in between them, but Link suddenly clenched his left fist and all the orbs detonated in ten-foot wide explosions that completely consumed her.

Link disappeared in a flash of green and reappeared on the ground, waiting for the explosion to die down. As the smoke cleared, a dark purple sphere could be seen and the blonde blinked in surprise while Mirajane brought in her extended clawed hands with a smirk. "Not bad, huh?" She asked as she flexed her hands before she changed back to normal as the sphere disappeared. "Now then, what do you want?" Mirajane asked with a frown as she glared at Link, who hesitated before he rubbed the back of his head.

"Lisanna asked me to talk to you." He replied honestly and Mirajane's eyes narrowed in irritation. "She said you were still taking not advancing ha-"

"I'm not." Mirajane said shortly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "And even _if _I were, it has nothing to do with you. I told Lisanna to leave it alone, so I'll just tell you to piss off." She said crassly as she continued to glare at him and Link looked down at his boots for a few seconds before he sighed.

"So it is bothering you." He said and Mirajane blinked in surprise, she could get just about any of the adults in the Guild to back down when she was truly angry, even that hothead Natsu had learned to back off after a while, but he appeared unbothered by her ire. "Lisanna and Elfman are worried about you." Link continued in his quiet voice, pausing for a moment before his voice took a subtle edge to it. "One shouldn't dismiss the concerns of those close to them." He finished and Mirajane looked at him in blank surprise. "I helped you field test your Kurai Ippin, at least let me try to understand why it bothers you." Link said in a calmer voice and Mirajane's eyes narrowed before she sighed.

A few minutes later the two of them sat before a large lake, Mirajane for once as silent as Link as she waited for him to question her. She should've known better than to outlast Link in not speaking, though, and after several minutes the Take Over Mage made a small sound of annoyance before she looked over at the Requip Mage. "Aren't you gonna ask me why it bothers me?" She demanded and Link blinked before he looked over at her with a confused expression.

"I already did." The blonde said and Mirajane's left eye twitched for a few seconds before she sighed.

"How is it an idiot like you became an S-Class before Erza, let alone me?" Mirajane asked as she looked out across the lake and Link's eyes widened a centimeter as he thought he understood. "Before coming to this Guild, I was stronger than anyone and anything my siblings and I encountered." She said as her eyes gained a distant look. "I figured the Guild Master would be stronger than me and even some of the adults, but I fully expected to dominate anyone even a few years older than me. It even seemed that way at first when Gray took on my challenge... but then..." The white haired mage cut herself off with a shake of her head.

"Erza was standing even with you, and then I used Nayru's Love to stop your attacks from connecting with each other." Link finished for her and Mirajane shot him a glare before she paused and sighed.

"That did annoy me at first, but after a couple of days... it was actually kind of nice having someone that could stand up to me." She admitted with a small smile. "At first, I thought for a while that you were just a tag-a-long for Erza." Mirajane said and Link looked at her curiously. "I know you blocked that first attack, but after that you just kind of stayed out of the way whenever we went at it." She said and then offered a shrug. "She was also the one that would usually pick out Jobs and when there was an argument you almost always capitulated." The Take Over Mage explained and Link's ears twitched twice as his confusion somewhat cleared at her explanation. "But the time you got drunk, I saw just how powerful you really were... even Erza seemed a little hesitant to go up against you when you weren't holding back." She said and Link's ears drooped as he looked away with a hint of an embarrassed blush. "I still find it hard to believe even now... someone who could stand toe to toe with me uncertain about both of us going up against one person." Mirajane said before she glanced over at him. "Why was that?" She asked and the blonde mage hesitated for a moment before he looked over at her.

"Promise you won't tell Erza this." Link said and Mirajane waited for a moment before she nodded her head. "When I... first joined Fairy Tail, I chose demon subjugation as my first Job." He said with only a minor hesitation and Mirajane's eyes widened in surprise, to which he just nodded his head. "That was everyone's response as well." He said then paused before he looked down. "Master was... not happy with me and, though Erza offered to go with me as well, threatened to kick me out of the Guild unless I put the Job back." Link said and scratched his cheek. "I was walking out when Erza attacked me." He said after a minute of silence and Mirajane's eyes went wide in shock. "Her intent was to beat me down so that I would be unable to do the Job, and as a lesson for disobeying Master." He said and Mirajane paused before she slowly nodded.

"That... actually sounds about right for her." She admitted before she narrowed her eyes at him. "However, what you did doesn't sound like you at all." Mirajane said suspiciously and Link hesitated as his blush deepened.

"I was a bit more stubborn about helping others then." He said and that actually made Mirajane stare at him in complete and blank shock as she tried to wrap her head around that fact. Link was silent for a little bit as his blush lessened before he continued his story. "As I got ready to defend myself, Master interrupted and put forward a deal. 'If you can match Erza in combat, the two of you may be able to complete the Job.'" The blonde paused for a moment until Mirajane cleared her throat impatiently, bringing him back to the present. "I agreed, and the two of us prepared to fight. Erza readied her saber, while I kept my sword in its sheath and shield on my back." He said and at that Mirajane's eyes narrowed slightly. "Erza believed that if she used a thrust I would jump on her blade as I did with Gray's arm when he tried to punch me, so decided to go with a left diagonal strike. I saw through her intent and, with a small shift, blocked the attack with my shield and nearly defeated her with Din's Fire." Link said and Mirajane blinked several times in surprise as she regarded him with a new respect. "Master stopped us before we continued with swordplay... but Erza is still touchy whenever that's brought up." He said and Mirajane was silent before she burst into loud laughter, taking Link aback.

"You know... if it wasn't... for my promise... I would get on her... case... about her getting on my case... to let you getting drunk go..." She managed to get out between spurts of laughter and Link's eyes flashed with alarm. It took a few more minutes of laughter before Mirajane regained control, but when she did she waved her hand in dismissal. "Like I said, I made a promise." She said, to which Link nodded his head in thanks. The white haired mage was silent for a while as her smile slowly shrank to a contemplative expression. "I was just shown that I'm not the strongest... that even when I'm given the chance to become an S-Class, I lose out to someone else." She said and Link looked over at her for a few seconds before he looked forward again.

"Which makes it possible that you're not strong enough to protect your family against any threat." Link said and Mirajane blinked before she snapped a glare over at him. "So you push yourself harder and harder for more power to protect your family... a family you're pushing to the side to get that power." He said and her eyes widened in surprise at his words and the sudden edge to them. "That must be Lisanna's concern... I'm not sure why." Link said and Mirajane's surprise shifted between what appeared to him, to her thinking, that she was becoming power hungry to not being concerned about it. "You're already one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail and you know it, despite your current doubts." He said before he turned to look at Mirajane. "Strength does not come from winning." The Requip Mage said solemnly and Mirajane's brow crinkled in confusion. "When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender... that is strength." He said as his blue eyes burned brightly with an inner fire that Mirajane had never really seen before and subconsciously moved away from him a little. The blonde suddenly blinked as his ears twitched and he quickly looked back to the lake, the fire dying down to its usual twinkle.

Mirajane was silent for a couple of minutes as she digested Link's surprising words before a small smirk came to her. "Well, this is getting a bit too sentimental for me to take seriously, so I think I'll just head home." She said as she got up and stretched, which caused her chest to jut out impressively. "See you later." She offered as she walked away from Link, who looked back at her and nodded his head. "Oh, and one more thing." Mirajane said as she stopped to look back at him. "You still owe me a one on one fight." She said as she put her right hand on her hip and Link looked at her silently as he waited for her terms before sighing. "So after I become an S-Class next year, I'll show you what happens when you mess with a Demon." The Take Over Mage said with a smirk and Link blinked as his ears twitched before he offered a small smile and nod in return.

* * *

Yami Setsuna - Dark Moment

Kurai Ippin - Dark Gem

* * *

So... I hope this chapter was somewhat worth the wait, but I was revising some of my earlier chapters, got in my head an idea for another story that wouldn't leave me alone unless I got the prologue out of the way, and got transferred from one base to another so had to move. Would like to thank my beta reader, Vandenbz, for looking over my work so quickly.

Have a poll up for letting Lisanna survive and coming up with a small Into the Past for some tweaks that would make it more reasonable, in my opinion, anyways, for her to not only have lived but why only she was absorbed into Edolas. So far it seems like she will, but I'll wait till the next chapter is almost done to know for certain.

Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.

Till next time.


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